From Scratch Series Part 4: From the Ground Up
by Jade-Max
Summary: Sequel to From Scratch. Three months after the rocky beginning to their marriage, Jacen and Tenel Ka find themselves facing an old foe as they try to bring about reform on Hapes...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **It's George's Sandcastle – I'm simply destroying the sand castles

**Title: **From the Ground Up

**Author:** JadeMax

**Genre:** Romance, Drama

**Timeframe:** Three Months after "From Scratch"

**Summary:** Three months after the rocky beginning to their marriage, Jacen and Tenel Ka find themselves facing an old foe as they try to bring about reform on Hapes...

**Author's Note: **This was started in May 2006 and completed in October 2006 – it is being reposted from another board in its entirety as I complete the edits necessary - expect the chapters to be regularly posted until it's finished. I'll try and get a new one up daily, but it might be every two or three days.

* * *

_**From the Ground Up**_

His head whipped to the side as the slap of the torturer rang through the small room. He spat blood, bringing his face around to smile at the woman assaulting him. "Hapan torture techniques have nothing on the Yuuzhan Vong."

He was rewarded for his impudence with another slap before a voice from the shadows stated calmly. "Enough."

Jacen Solo turned to look at the owner of the voice, his eyes clear from pain and his smile still in place. "Ta'a Chume, what do you expect to gain from these petty and futile attempts at torture?"

"You know the question, slave."

"I am no slave. I am the husband of your granddaughter and the king of the Hapan Consortium." Jacen smiled the trademark solo grin. "It must really eat at you that we've disrupted your plans for control twice now."

Ta'a Chume simply watched him from behind her veil. "You know the question."

"And I choose not to answer."

"Then we will make you answer."

Jacen laughed. "The Yuuzhan Vong couldn't get me to tell them where the Jedi's base of operations was with torture techniques you wouldn't think of if you live to be a thousand. What can you do to me to make me tell a public lie that I tricked your granddaughter into marriage?"

"I see you are not yet ready to be reasonable. Though, perhaps my granddaughter is ready to listen to my council. You have, after all, been missing from a tragic accident for more than a month."

Jacen looked at her calmly. "You can try, Ta'a Chume, but Tenel Ka is stronger than you give her credit for. I know she's still searching for me. She knows I'm not dead."

"She knew you were dead before you returned." Ta'a Chume pointed out nastily. "Perhaps we can convince her a second and last time."

"She knows I pulled away from her so she wouldn't feel the pain I was going through," he informed the former Hapan Queen quietly. "She also knows I will never do that to her again. You may be able to bully the people you once ruled because of your former glory, but I won't stand for it and neither will she. You've been exiled once, Ta'a Chume. Tenel Ka will likely have your head for this."

"Then she can take it. Continue with the softening up period." The former Queen instructed the Whip mistress, "The slave is not yet ready to admit that women are superior."

"Superior only because you hold the weapon, Ta'a Chume. Weapons don't mean power. Your Whip Mistress can do nothing to me that I don't allow."

"Slap him."

Jacen looked at the Whip mistress. "Don't." he said simply.

The Whip Mistress froze in place and Ta'a Chume glared at Jacen. He could feel it across the room. "I should have invested in some more of those Force blocking creatures."

"Give my regards to my wife." he told the old Queen as the door shut behind her.

Jacen turned back to the Whip Mistress and released her from his mind grip. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you hurt me. You'll be hurting your Queen."

The Whip Mistress simply looked at him blankly and he nodded for her to go. Without a word, she left him alone.

Jacen sighed. He'd agreed to be taken prisoner because they needed to expose Ta'a Chume's web of power, but he missed his wife terribly. But he'd chosen and acted, and now would play out the hand he'd dealt himself. He'd already discovered the network of passages beneath the main Royal house. Passages Tenel Ka had thought long since sealed.

The further he looked, the more Jacen realized that Ta'a Chume's web spread far into the surrounding cities, everything connected by travel tubes. A network far more expansive and well funded than they'd previously thought. He sat on the sleeping mat they'd allowed him and closed his eyes, reaching for the bond between himself and Tenel Ka. A bond that, though strong and bright, made him feel lonely most nights. Yes she was with him, but he wanted to hold her. After a month, the yearning was getting almost unbearable.

He smiled faintly. If only Ta'a Chume knew he was putting himself through better torture than she could ever devise. He shook the thought away and focused inwards. It was time to meditate and gather his strength for the coming nights. Sneaking out and back into his cell was starting to take its toll. Sooner or later, no matter how strong his abilities, one of the guards would remember and follow. It was a night he knew was going to happen all too soon.

* * *

Tenel Ka sat on the throne of the Hapan Queen in the Fountain Palace. Her advisors were still bemoaning the loss of her husband, though she'd postponed the funeral on the grounds that she didn't believe he was dead. That didn't stop them from implying she would require another consort. 

Little did her grandmother know Jacen could still communicate with her; not in words, but with thoughts and feelings. She knew he wasn't dead and she had proof her grandmother had staged his "accident", but with her grandmother's supporters still in several key positions of power, she wasn't about to act on it. Not just yet.

Tenel Ka sat straight. "This is not a matter for this court. It is a matter for the judicial system. Take it there."

The two individuals bickering over land zones were silenced by the Queen Mother's sudden words and bowed out, the guards pushing them out with their weapons.

Tenel Ka stood. "There is a matter before this body about the well being of the Royal Family. The advisory council is corrupt; our husband is missing. The former Queen has made four known attempts on our life in the last month, six in the month previous and twelve in the month of our return. Nothing has been done. You will reach a verdict today. You will decide Ta'a Chume's fate." Her statement was an order; one no one would dare dispute.

Tenel Ka turned on her heel and departed back to the apartments she'd shared with Jacen for just over two months. Her pace was steady, measured, as she entered and closed the door behind her. As soon as she was out of sight, she ran for the fresher, barely making it in time as her stomach rebelled.

"Your Highness?"

Tenel Ka didn't, couldn't, answer, as the dizziness hit her once again, forcing her over the bowl.

The sound of footsteps was barely audible and gentle hands suddenly slid around her head to hold her hair back. "I see the sickness hasn't lessened."

Tenel Ka was finally able to sit back and glanced up at the form of her personal aid. "My thanks, Jana."

"You're welcome, your majesty. Does your grandmother suspect yet?"

Tenel Ka shook her head once, getting to her feet. "No. It will remain so until Jacen is returned to me. The news of a child may give her cause to eliminate him."

Jana smiled faintly. "Your husband is a formidable man, your majesty. Even the former Queen Mother wouldn't dare risk your wrath and that of his family."

"Fact."

Jana offered her monarch a glass. "Do you think he'll be gone to much longer?"

"No. He is sending me feelings of approaching his goal. There is much danger involved."

"The King can take care of himself."

"You place too much faith in him, Jana." Tenel Ka cautioned. "He is formidable, but not invincible. Even he can forget that."

Jana was silent as Tenel Ka rinsed her mouth out and wiped off her face. "You miss him, don't you?"

"Yes." Tenel Ka replied quietly. "The council sessions are going no where. Tomorrow, you will sit in my place and conduct the session. I must find my grandmother."

"What will you do when you find her?"

"Bring her before the council for Hapan justice." Tenel Ka's tone didn't change, but Jana could see the set determination in her eyes.

"Another adventure, your highness?"

"One without your aid this time, Jana." Tenel Ka turned to the young woman who had become one of her closest friends in the last months. "Your help was not expected to bring Jacen and I together. I thank you for doing so. You must stay here and keep the council occupied. I must find my husband and expose the layers of treachery in the Hapan court once and for all."

Jana stared at her Queen. Usually Tenel Ka wasn't so well spoken or long winded. She finally nodded, taking Tenel Ka's single hand in her own. "Anything, Tenel Ka. Anything you want me to do to help, I'm more than willing to do. Stall the council? I can do that."

"Your success with Jacen and I speaks of your ability." Tenel Ka drew the younger woman into a brief hug. "Do not fail me, Jana. For if they are not distracted, it could mean our lives."

"I won't fail you, your highness. Am I at liberty to make up the excuses for your disappearance?"

Tenel Ka nodded once. "Do so. I will descend into the tunnels below the palace to search for my grandmother."

"And when you find her?"

Tenel Ka's tone was flat. "Justice."

Jana watched as Tenel Ka disappeared into the bedchamber and shook her head, thinking back to when they'd all arrived back on planet.

Tenel Ka had surprised her. Surprised everyone, when she'd come out to state that men were no longer to be considered slaves in the Hapan Consortium. Tenel Ka had then introduced the first Hapan King anyone could remember, to the surprise of the delegation, stating that he would be treated as she was and would share all of her responsibilities and obligations.

Jana's smile died. And then, as she'd become closer to the royal family, strange things had begun happening. Guards would begin to go missing, only to show up several days later as if nothing had happened. The taste testers for the King and Queen had died. The poison the King had accidentally taken had been purged by himself and the Queen thanks to their Force abilities.

She shook her head sadly. And then, as the attempts continued, the final explosion and accident which had "killed" Jacen. Tenel Ka had disputed the evidence, stating her grandmother was a traitor and would be dealt with according to the Hapan laws that Ta'a Chume herself had written. Once they found and eliminated her support web.

Jana turned away, heading for her own small room off the main apartments where she could always be reached quickly. The elimination of Ta'a Chume's supporters had proven to be an almost futile venture. They'd traced many to the higher placed female senators. Senators that would never vote for execution, only exile, as Ta'a Chume could then one day be pardoned. Like that would ever happen with Tenel Ka on the throne.

Jana settled herself at her writing desk and turned on her datapad. She had excuses to make and a speech to prepare for her fill in dates. Unless she was called by her Queen, everything else could wait.

* * *

Jacen's disappearance from his cell was indeed noted by several people in the network beneath the Fountain Palace. None of whom would dare inform Ta'a Chume. He could feel them watching as he slipped into the darkness of the surrounding tunnels, making his way to where he'd last hidden his holo-recorders, and smiled inwardly. 

These were the invisibles, the forgotten, in Ta'a Chume's relm. The male slaves and the downtrodden races which had suffered under her rule, all of which she still chose to enslave in defiance of her granddaughter's decrees.

Jacen's smile was slight. Ta'a Chume had already told him she wouldn't change her lifestyle, no matter what Tenel Ka's decreed, and he'd gotten it on holo. Not that _she_ knew that.

His steps were almost silent in the dampness of the lesser traveled tunnels as he scanned the area. His own network was beginning to grow inside Ta'a Chume's base of power; a network of hatred and desire. The slaves and downtrodden who submitted because they'd been given no other choice, were now his friends. He'd promised them freedom from this life; the freedom to live on the surface without fear of enslavement or persecution, and to choose their own destinies. And they were promises he was going to keep.

He noted they turned away from whatever tasks they were doing as he passed their locations, taking no obvious notice of him, and not betraying his presence to the ever-watching guards. Guards he could neutralize, and had, with a thought if he needed to. Which indeed he did right now, catching the eye of one of the male slaves and holding the guard in place away from him, before nodding to the side.

The slave, a male named Verak, quickly moved to join him out of view of the guard. Jacen planted the suggestion in the mind of the guard that Verak was supposed to be out of sight, that this was normal and requested by Ta'a Chume herself, and the guard moved on with her business.

Verak huddled down lower as the guard passed their position, moving to a predetermined one and stopping just out of eye and ear shot.

"This is dangerous, my liege."

"I told you, Verak, call me Jacen."

"Jacen." Verak's voice held a raspy note, the scars on his throat belying his torture. "What can I assist you with tonight?"

"I've almost enough information to bring back with me to expose this network. But I can't leave with your people still enslaved. If Ta'a Chume gets an inkling of the information I have, she'll drop the roof on these tunnels and have everyone executed. We need to stage an uprising and neutralize the guards to get everyone out of here. Without the slaves, these women who think they're powerful are nothing. They control nothing and have no one to do their bidding."

Verak nodded thoughtfully, his eyes darting to the corner where the guard had passed. "I'll tell my sect. There are some who still question you, Jacen Solo. Be careful who you trust."

Jacen smiled humorlessly. "That's a lesson the Yuuzhan Vong taught me long before Ta'a Chume. Be safe Verak, do nothing that would jeopardize yourself."

Verak slipped into his position behind the guard, going back to the menial labor which he'd been doing before Jacen's appearance.

Jacen ducked away, releasing the guard from his hold with a final suggestion that Verak had been in her sights, working as he was, the whole time. He waited long enough to see the guard return to her post, leaning casually against the corner as if she'd been there the whole time.

Jacen slipped into the dark tunnels again, headed for the major centers and intent on forming a plan to sabotage the power couplings in the area. He'd found that none of these women, who were forced to live underground, like the darkness. Without electricity, without light, they degenerated into chaos. Ta'a Chume was still a problem. To escape alive, when the time came, he'd have to take her prisoner and use her life to barter his way out. At least, he'd have to if he was caught.

His steps were silent as he passed through the areas, being more careful as he neared the central tunnels. Here, formerly powerful females had erected homes in which to live comfortably at the expense of their male counterparts. The illicit trades of the street were in full evidence, with owners hawking the wares of their slaves so that some fine lady would pay a fee to be pleasured for an evening.

Jacen shook his head in disgust. If he'd needed another reason to free these people, he would have found it in this cesspool of sin. Men clad in loin cloths and collars were led around by tiny women carrying leashes, bore the weight of litters and cleaned the streets. Women, in their arrogance, slapped, beat, yelled and generally degraded the men with such a disregard for their existence he had to fight the urge to complete his plan now. It didn't help that he'd gotten to know several of those slaves, spoken with them of their captivity and humiliation, and promised relief.

But he couldn't move until his pieces were all in place and that was the intention for this evening's excursions.

Ta'a Chume's 'palace' was the largest home, sprawling across some 5 acres of underground terrain, and the most difficult to infiltrate. So difficult, even for a Jedi, that Jacen had only been inside once. And once was not enough; tonight he had to enter again. Without an intimate knowledge of her home, he couldn't capture her alive to be taken to the surface to stand trial. And that was something he wanted more than anything. Grandmother to his wife or not, Ta'a Chume's atrocities were clearly visible here and, because of that, he recorded the images on his holo-recorder.

The traffic was thinning, preparing to retire for the evening as the day came to a close, and the streets slowly emptied. Jacen grudgingly admitted that Ta'a Chume's law and order was effective, especially in imposing a curfew, but only because it favored the females. Any male found on the street after dark would be lashed 30 times for a first offence. A second offence landed them in solitary confinement for 30 days and a third offence usually resulted in death.

Not pleasant options. Jacen fought the thoughts away. He'd been caught once, but his power had been enough to convince the guards he wasn't there. Since that day, he'd been careful. He couldn't chance being caught and brought to Ta'a Chume for justice. She would gladly take any opportunity to assist in breaking him, or in outright killing him, if he gave her one.

His smile was humorless as he worked his way around the streets, the lights dimming even as he did so to simulate the night above. Ta'a Chume would never have the creativity to break him. He was careful in approaching her compound, skirting the ten foot high walls, and wondering who it was that had carved the cavern in which he stood. A cavern that was over 30 feet high, yet felt more oppressive than the smaller tunnels.

Slipping into the exterior portion of the compound proved to be easy enough; it was getting into the alarmed, armed and prepared house that proved difficult. No exterior walls neared the home, the yard a place of barren rock and artfully arranged boulders. None of those were near the house or blocking the line of sight from the windows.

Jacen carefully approached the house, flattening himself in what shadows there were and avoiding the well lit areas whenever possible. His movements were slow, even, and timed to be made with noises elsewhere inside. He could feel the presence of the guards inside the house, noting where their positions were, and trying to keep between them as much as possible.

He almost made the house before the alarm went up, the shouts of an intruder in the yard drawing his head up as the flood lights of the compound were flipped on. Without wasting time, he found his feet, and, drawing on the Force, was out of the yard before the first of the intruder alarms died away.

Jacen cursed inwardly. What had he done wrong? Almost every time he'd tried to get anywhere near the complex, he was spotted. Except that first time. He frowned. What had he done differently? His route had been different every time, and that made it difficult to remember. But now wasn't the time to dwell on that.

He raced back into the tunnels, headed for his cell, before veering off to hide his evidence. He had an idea now of how to neutralize the women in Ta'a Chume's web. He was going to have to play by their rules if he couldn't get to the former Queen. Thankfully, his pictures held many blackmailing photos. Not that he looked forward to it, but it would need to be done. Some enemies couldn't be fought with a lightsaber.

He slipped back into his cell undetected for now, and settled on his sleeping mat. Tomorrow would be another day. A day to test his new idea and to see what would succeed and what would fail. Another day to put his life in danger. His smile was caustic. Just another day in the life of Jacen Solo.

* * *

Jana watched as Tenel Ka stretched on the floor beside her bed. "Are you certain, your highness?" 

Tenel Ka didn't even look up. "Fact. You have your responsibilities; I have mine. My child will not grow up without a father."

Jana sat on the edge of the bed. "Can I use your... er... delicate condition as a card to play?"

"No."

"But..."

"No." Tenel Ka met the gaze of her friend. "You may imply. Certainty will bring the medics and I will not be here."

"Say you're in seclusion to contemplate the advice of the council in claiming the King as dead?" Jana held up a hand. "I know, it's not true, but it would play on their egos and give you as much time as you need. A Queen in seclusion is one that has all the time in the world."

"If you must. I will return before the end of the month."

"I trust you won't be alone?"

Tenel Ka eyed her friend. "Is that a joke?"

Jana chuckled. "I think your husband's sense of humor is rubbing off on me. No, it's not. Good luck, Tenel Ka."

Tenel Ka nodded once before pushing herself to her feet and shouldering her pack. "Good luck, Jana. You will need it far more than I."

Jana grinned. "I'll try not to lose your kingdom while you're gone."

"Trust you do not."

Jana chuckled again as Tenel Ka checked the straps, her pack settling easily between her shoulder blades. She could tell by looking that her Queen had packed quite lightly. They didn't say anything more as Tenel Ka placed her shoulder against the large bed and took a deep breath.

Jana stood back, watching as Tenel Ka's leg muscles strained and bulged against the weight of the bed. A creaking sound filled the room, and Jana held her breath as the bed began to slowly move across the floor. The sound of wood scraping on stone was loud, drowning out the protest of the frame, and a small, sealed hatch was slowly exposed.

Tenel Ka stopped, taking a deep breath, her muscles protesting, yet she felt the thrill of success. She could still do it.

"Wow." Jana's voice was soft in the sudden stillness. "How do I move it back?"

Tenel Ka moved to the hatch, pulling out her lightsaber. "I will move it when I am below. You will have two minutes to seal this hole before someone notices it has been used."

Jana nodded, noting that Tenel Ka had placed the sealant in one corner of the room. She quickly retrieved it as Tenel Ka finished slicing into the stone. The hatch swung easily downwards and Tenel Ka looked up to meet the eyes of her friend. "Good luck."

Jana didn't have a chance to say anything as Tenel Ka dropped into the hole and disappeared into the darkness. The hatch swung closed without a sound and she quickly moved to seal the exposed seams. She was almost finished when the protest of the wooden bed frame began again. She quickly did the last seam, hoping it would dry under the solid box, before moving out of the way. As if an invisible hand were pushing, or pulling it, the frame lifted slightly off the ground and moved over the hatch, effectively sealing it closed again as the weight settled back to the floor near its original place.

Jana stared at the bed for a long moment, silently wishing her Monarch good luck. "May the Force be with you." she murmured softly.

She fought back the sting of tears, knowing they were unwarranted, and turned away. She had a speech to make and a missing monarch to hide. And she'd promised she wouldn't fail.

* * *

Tenel Ka's eyes adjusted slowly to the gloom of the tunnels. They were damp, almost as if a humidifier was running, yet she knew they were close to a water source. One that would effect many areas of the tunnels. A vague memory of being forced down here at a young age brought back a fear of glowing red eyes. 

Her lips thinned and she shook it away. A stupid childish fear.

She checked her surroundings, noting the tunnel only ran in two directions, and picked the one running towards the center of the city surrounding the Fountain Palace.

Her choice paid off. After several minutes of walking through water that was almost ankle deep, it began to taper off and the humidity level dropped. She felt her way carefully, paying close attention to any noises, feeling an eerie feeling crawl up her spine when the only discernable sound was the echo of her footsteps.

It didn't deter the Hapan Queen, however, and she was quick to move past the area, a steady glow of light in the distance drawing her closer. Night was falling in the world above, and she could tell the lights were lower than she remembered. Remembered? She'd only been down here once or twice as a young child. It was amazing what you remembered.

She banished the thought she continued through the tunnels, passing several areas where people and aliens were bound in chains, their guards standing over them with whips. It made her stomach turn. There were no female slaves in sight and every one of them bore marks of the lash. Her grandmother's legacy.

Tenel Ka moved through the areas, careful to be as stealthy as possible and kept out of the lights. Many creatures moved in the shadows and the reflection of the torches brought a sheen of color to their eyes. She made a conscious effort not to look at anything that moved near her feet. As stupid fear as glowing red eyes was, she didn't want to chance having it reassert itself in full force. She couldn't afford to.

A few of the slaves took note of her passing, but none said anything to their minders. Slaves weren't thought to be intelligent or observant and to prove otherwise wouldn't be in their best interest.

_Where are you, my love?_ she wondered silently as she came to a crossroad, looking each way. The territory had a distinct air of hopelessness and oppression which was hard to stomach. _How different this is from Yuuzhan'tar, _she mused. _People have thought the Yuuzhan Vong to be creatures of brutality but my home is worse. The underworlds of their planet do not compare to mine._

The thoughts were disturbing as she moved to her left, the only area without a light source further down the tunnel. She needed to find an area where she could make camp before her search for her husband began in earnest.


	2. Chapter 2

Jacen endured the next day's questioning with the good humor which he'd shown through it all. Ta'a Chume had only come close to breaking it once. She knew better, now, than to threaten his wife in his presence.

Today was no different and the questions remained the same. They called him slave, slapped him, pushed him, attempted to whip him, all things he'd become numb to. Finally he pushed himself to his feet, sick of it in his stomach.

"Ta'a Chume, I'm not going to kowtow to your little empire underneath the palace. I'm not going to lie to the people Tenel Ka is doing everything to protect and I'm not going to dishonor the vows I've made to my wife."

"Silence."

He laughed in her face. "You don't have the power to back up your command; not in here. I don't-"

"Silence!" her tone was sharp.

"-feel inclined to listen to you." he smiled easily before turning his back on her.

She half-rose from her chair, making to follow and punish him herself. "Slave, halt. I order you to stop."

Jacen didn't answer, simply kept walking until he was directly in front of the Whip Mistress. With a silent command, he held out his hand and she placed the whip in his palm before leaving the room. He finally turned back to the former Queen, noting the white in her knuckles from the insolence of his actions.

Jacen fought down the urge to smirk. It was fun making her angry. What he couldn't figure out was why he hadn't tried it before. "You really should relax, Ta'a Chume, stress is bad for the heart. Ask my dad sometime. He knows."

If she hadn't been wearing her veil, he was certain she would have either been flushed purple or stark white. "I said be silent, slave!" she almost roared the words.

He threw the whip at her, catching it mid-air with the Force and holding it up to her. "And I said, shut up, I grow tired of your posturing. You're a diplomat, Ta'a Chume. Be diplomatic and make me an offer."

"I don't bargain with slaves." her words were haughty, her tone regal, as if she was right in her opinion.

Jacen moved the whip a little, making the leather thongs snap in front of her face. "That's not very diplomatic, how did you ever deal with the people of your worlds?" He tapped his chin, noting her shallow, angry breaths but ignoring them. "Ah, I remember now, you enslaved, brow beat and bribed. Right. Not exactly something that takes-"

"SILENCE," the words were fairly torn from her throat and echoed in the room.

Jacen wasn't fazed, simply kept talking at the same, level tone, "-diplomacy or charisma. You know, you really are a lousy monarch."

She almost jumped to her feet, standing finally to face off with him. "I should have you killed here and now."

"Have me killed?" he tossed the whip away and held his hands wide. "That's an offer, I suppose, but only if you have the guts to do it yourself. I would think very carefully of the consequences, Ta'a Chume. You'd be risking war with the republic, and death at your granddaughter's hands. Tenel Ka wouldn't stand for your treatment of me."

"She knows nothing." The words hissed through tightly clenched teeth. "Taking you as her so-called king proves that. She has no respect for the years I and her ancestors spent building an empire and-"

"On the contrary."

Ta'a Chume stopped short, and Jacen could swear he saw her jaw drop, even from beneath the veil. She hadn't expected him to cut her off. Good.

He approached her, stopping just shy of the fabric hiding her face from view. "My wife respects everything you've taught her and has spent a great deal of time debating its merits. Your son and his wife knew they were teaching her to think for herself when they sent her to the Jedi academy - which is why you were so against it. Are you so afraid of the rest of the galaxy, Ta'a Chume, that you'd risk war?"

"To keep the sanctity of my people, I would risk death."

He sighed, reaching up to remove her veil, feeling the pressure of her hand as it closed around his wrist, attempting to stop him, but he paid it no heed. "Death to such a devious mind would be a waste."

Their eyes met and Jacen was against struck by the deepness of the green in the former Queen Mother's eyes; depth, perhaps, but as cold as ice and just as cruel. "If my granddaughter was not Queen, your life would have ended before now, slave."

"I grow tired of your threats, Ta'a Chume. The Yuuzhan Vong could teach you a thing or two about follow through. You won't touch me because I'm your insurance against Tenel Ka taking action to have you executed for treason. You won't touch me because if you killed me, my family would never stop until they'd tried you for murder. A word of advice; if you're not willing to follow through, don't make the threat."

She blinked, obviously shocked by his bold words, but Jacen found no joy in that petty victory. He stepped back, having seen what he needed to in her gaze.

"Go home, Ta'a Chume, and let me return to mine."

"Never." She glared at him, but it lost its potency from behind the veil. "You'll die in this cell, slave."

He chuckled. "I don't think you believe that. You can go, Ta'a Chume, you don't need to stay on my account."

He felt her bristle, as if her hackles has suddenly risen, and turned away.

"I do not need your permission."

"Well, you've said this is going to be my home, so it's only polite to excuse you. Please, don't let me keep you."

She watched as he settled on the floor, closing his eyes to meditate and approached him, her heels clicking on the stones.

He didn't open his eyes as her foot came towards his face.

Jacen reached up, as if casually, and caught her by the ankle. "Ah ah, that's not very lady like. I need to meditate, but," he opened his eyes, looking up at her through his bangs, "if you need to spar, I think I have you out matched."

She yanked her foot back, overbalancing and going over in a heap.

Jacen eyed her for a moment before closing his eyes again, the obvious dismissal irking her further.

Pushing herself to her feet, Ta'a Chume glared at him before dusting herself off and adopting her haughty manners again. Her pride hurt and he would pay for it. Somehow. Without another word, she swept from the room.

As the door closed she could hear silence and somehow that was more damning that laughter.

* * *

Jacen opened his eyes as the door latch and locks slid into place. He sighed, a grin finding its way onto his face. Part of him had really enjoyed that.

It's wasn't fair to continue baiting the old Queen, though. Sooner or later he and Tenel Ka would have to deal with her for good and it wasn't something he was really looking forward to.

Tenel Ka's image formed in his mind and he smiled softly, an ache in his chest. He missed her fiercely. Closing his eyes, he allowed his mind to wander back to their time on Yuuzhan'tar, a time when it had been just them. He thought of their so-called honeymoon in the bowels of the world once known as Coruscant. Of Vola and Flynn, friends he hadn't seen in months, and of their wedding ceremony and the night that followed.

Jacen lay back on the bedding in the corner, his hands behind his head, and smiled, allowing his mind to take him back. Tonight would be difficult and, for the moment, he wanted to simply remember. If he wasn't careful, the memories might be all that he'd have left.

* * *

Tenel Ka was in an alien world. All around the underground were sights and smells long forgotten, ignored by the people who lived on the surface. The screams of torture victims echoed through the halls, so distorted she couldn't begin to tell where they might be coming from.

She was tired. More tired than before, and she knew now that the early signs of her pregnancy were true. The child growing inside her was tapping resources she was going to need. It was not a comforting thought. She placed her hand over her abdomen as turned in the small alcove, trying to block out the sounds, her mind on her husband. Her child would not grow up without its father.

The sounds penetrated her dreams, bringing images of Jacen in the embrace of pain. Jacen fighting for survival with the Yuuzhan Vong in the alien environment; Jacen at home, near the Well of the World Brain on Yuuzhan'tar.

Her eyes snapped open as his last encounter on the now alien world flashed through her mind.

He was stubborn, rash and impulsive. Traits which had drawn her in the first place, so foreign they were to her way of thinking. Traits which had almost cost him his life on more than one occasion. But she couldn't argue that they'd also saved his life, and hers, more than once.

The screams continued to echo, becoming a faint, whisper of a sound, even as she closed her eyes again. She couldn't sleep, no matter how much she needed to.

Frustrated her discipline appeared to be breaking down, she launched into a series of exercises in an attempt to tire herself out. Anything was worth a shot; she was going to need her wits about her to survive in this environment and for that she needed sleep.

An hour later, the screams having dwindled to nothing, she curled back up in her bedroll and closed her eyes, exhausted from the rigorous routine, and thankfully embracing the slumber. Now, maybe, she could set her sights on tomorrow.

* * *

Jacen awoke in the pre-dawn. You could always tell. The screams of the tortured had stopped, the sounds of the old day's work had finally died, and the silence was more telling that words. He rolled to his feet, checking the door to his cell. There. The guard, visible just around the corner, was nodding at her post.

His smile was wry. She would stay that way. He implanted the suggestion that she sleep, using the Force to manipulate the locks on his cell at the same time. They turned slowly as the guard slowly, and silently, slid to the floor. He grinned. Too easy.

His steps were silent as he exited his cell, his decoy in place. He made his way out of the block and into the tunnels again. He checked his location against the map in his mind several times to ensure he wasn't going around in circles.

A man stepped out of the shadows ahead of him, and he tensed for a moment before identifying his contact. Verak. He nodded to the other man, making his way slowly as he searched for dangers.

Verak slid back into the shadows at his approach. "The meeting has begun. If you're going to convince them, the time is now."

Jacen nodded, "Take me to them; I need their help."

Verak slanted the younger man a look before nodding once. "Most will not need convincing, but I'm afraid there are still the doubters who believe you're here to enslave us on the surface. You would do well to convince them otherwise."

"I'll do my best. Lead on."

Verak did, making his way down into tunnels which looked ready to collapse, their shabby appearance belied by the solid supports placed in a visibly haphazard manner. Jacen smiled faintly as he was led deeper and deeper into the core of the planet, feeling the heat shift suddenly as they entered a thermal vent. He began to sweat, beads forming on his brow as their pace quickened.

Verak paused at the entrance of another tunnel, rubbing the back of his neck and looking left and then right. Jacen waited patiently, arching an eyebrow when Verak looked up and pointed. A rope ladder dropped from the apparent solid rock and Verak motioned for him to hurry.

Jacen followed the other man up the rope and into the holographic rock ceiling. There, they entered another passage and finally, the rocky home of many, many slaves.

Jacen paused at the entrance, feeling his throat constrict. Calling this place a hovel was being generous, but the feeling of belonging was apparent even to him.

Verak was half-way across the floor when he realized he wasn't being followed anymore and half-turned. "Jacen! Come on, we're going to miss the meeting completely at this rate."

Jacen pulled himself together and picked up his pace; following Verak down a series of small side passages before emerging into what had to be the conference room. Verak's sect leader was presiding as this was his place of power.

Around a table sat twelve other men, each lined with years of torture and derision, their bodies bent and scarred. Yet their heads were held at a proud angle here, their experiences not having cowed their spirits.

"Ah, Verak. I see you've brought the King."

All eyes turned to Verak, who shrugged. "He has been looking forward to this meeting for a long time, Jeck. He's glad you've allowed him to speak."

"Hello." Jacen stepped forward, his hand extended. "You must be the sect leader Verak's told me about."

Jeck shook his hand, his smile cautious. "I am. And you would be Jacen Solo, the consort of the current Queen Mother, correct?"

Jacen smiled faintly. "Tenel Ka is my wife."

The reactions around the table were mixed.

"There's no such thing as having a Queen Mother as a wife!" The nearest sect leader objected.

"You fool, she's using you." Another interjected.

"You're all fools; Ta'a Chume would never have retreated down here if he wasn't speaking the truth!" A third argued.

Jacen listened for a minute to their objections and arguments. He looked at Jeck, seeking permission to take the floor. Jeck motioned for him to go ahead.

Jacen held up his hands, "Enough."

The sect leaders blinked at his soft spoken, yet powerful, command. And they shut up.

Jacen lowered his hands. "I'm more than willing to answer your questions. But a friend taught me that every favor has its price. If I give you the information from the surface, I would like your help in return."

"Our help for what?"

Jacen turned to look at what had to be the youngest sect leader. The man couldn't have been older than he was. "What's your name?"

"Marh."

"Well, Marh, if I tell you now, half of you might walk out. But the basis is that I want a better life for all of you than the one you currently have."

The leader next to Marh snorted. "So what, you'll bring us to the palace as nurse maids?"

The laughter was polite at best, their suspicions in full force.

Jacen shook his head. "No, sir. Take this as you will, but I intend to end Ta'a Chume's reign once and for all, to destroy her web of lies and power, and to expose her as the weak woman she is. I intend to take her to the surface for justice and expose this underground slave pit for its real purpose."

The laughter of more than half the men seated at the table wasn't encouraging.

"You think that you, Jacen Solo, can do this?"

"Yes sir," he said softly, his voice full of conviction, "I believe I can. But I need all of your help to do it. To co-ordinate an uprising that would create enough confusion to take the former Queen Mother and her allies hostage is going to be difficult, but not impossible. My Uncle Luke once faced the Emperor on the second death star and won. If he can do that, bringing down a woman with no Force abilities is going to be easy. The only questions are will you help me and will you do it for yourselves, for your freedom, and not for the monarchy?"

The silence his statements brought was heavy, the sect leaders exchanging looks of incredulity and hope.

Jeck spoke first after a long pause. "My sect will help you in return for our freedom. There has been much discussion on the matter since Verak first brought you to my attention and the vote is unanimous. Death is preferable to continued service down here."

"Are you crazy, old man?" One of the other sect leaders demanded. "You're asking for death!"

"No, Gan," Jeck replied with a shake of his head. "We're asking for life. No one has gone against the vote and we would rather break the shackles of our servitude than face an eternity of safety. If we want to be free, we must work for it ourselves. This body was created to work towards that end. Now, with Jacen standing before us, presenting a solution, you're going to back down on the very thing for which we all hope?"

Gan threw his hands up. "I will present the matter to my sect, and expect to be the only dissenter, but I don't trust this Jacen Solo."

Jacen smiled faintly. "I haven't given you reason to yet, so I take no offence. I need to know if you will stand in the way of giving your people a chance at surface life and freedom knowing that those are my goals. Will you?"

Gan eyed the young man for a long minute before slowly shaking his head. "No, I will not. As Jeck said, this body was created for that very end. I can't, in good conscience, turn my back on the opportunity. That doesn't mean I'm going to trust you though."

"I understand."

The sect leaders threw ideas back and forth before settling down again. Jacen finally outlined his own plan for the revolt, and his wry sense of humor and taste for irony brought many of them around. They might not have trusted him just yet, but they knew a good plan when they heard one; especially one that wrapped revenge, freedom and dignity into one.

The decision made, their attention turned back to Jacen and the questions they wanted answered. Most centered around the life on the surface, the factions they'd be facing and questions about possible reunions with families they hadn't seen in a long, long time.

Jacen answered what questions he could, promising to assist them in every way possible for achieving a new life on the surface and to help them find lost ties.

The meeting finally broke up and Jacen was led quickly back to his cell by Verak. Near the compound Jacen turned to the other man and reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "Remember; five days from now."

Verak nodded once before scurrying off to find his place. Jacen snuck back into the cell, the guard still dozing at her post, and locked the doors behind him. The first steps towards freedom for these people and himself had been taken. Now, he simply had to get through five days before he could see his wife again. And that goal, regardless of the others, was worth fighting for.

* * *

Tenel Ka was up, scouting the tunnels even as Jacen was meeting with the sect leaders. She hadn't slept for long, or well, with the sounds echoing through the cavern walls. She'd thought her people beyond such barbarianism. Grimly, she acknowledged she was wrong. There would always be slavery in the Hapan Consortium if the Matriarch and her followers of old had any say. Tenel Ka couldn't help but admit to herself that, for her grandmother's powers to be ended, the old woman would have to die.

Much as she didn't like the power hungry woman, she was family. And Tenel Ka balked at the thought of sentencing someone to death, especially a blood relation, no matter how deserving. The Jedi preached forgiveness and understanding. Knowledge and defense not attack. The take a life was a serious thing and Tenel Ka, no matter how much her grandmother deserved it, couldn't help but feel execution was wrong.

Stripping the old woman of title, possession, power and isolating her away from the galaxy would have the same effect, but be more lasting. No, the Hapan Consortium would not execute her; there were too many old friends in power for that, even if Tenel Ka had wanted that as a punishment. It was a time for new, creative thinking when sentencing time came. And Tenel Ka would be the one to initiate it. Now she just had to find her grandmother and Jacen and get back to the surface.

Her steps were cautious, as she didn't dare risk being seen, however, she felt a sense of something, a great excitement building, even as she moved through the tunnels. Something was getting ready to happen, but she wasn't certain what.

The lighting in the tunnel improved as she moved, gathering information on the tunnels and taking her time to scout carefully before moving to the next junction. Finally, after several hours, the lights came on with full force. The shadows deepened in the side tunnels and she sequestered herself inside one of them as the sound of marching footprints was loud in the corridor.

She peered out, careful not to be seen, and sucked in a sharp breath.

Jacen was being led between six guards bearing her grandmother's crest, his feet bound and shackled, his hands tied carefully behind his back. Her heart ached as he passed, his posture proud despite his trappings. At least her grandmother hadn't broken his spirit.

She scanned the guards, her eyebrows drawing together fractionally as she noted that not one of them had Ysalamiri. Was Jacen playing along, allowing himself to be bound? Probably; it would suit his sense of humor. But why? What could he gain by playing helpless prisoner?

He disappeared from view, and she could sense his thoughts were turned inward. He hadn't sensed or seen her. She let out a breath, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. Her palm was sweating, heat sliding through her veins and making her uncomfortable. She fought to shake off the feeling, amazed at how powerful her reaction was to just getting a glimpse of him.

The clink of his chains was still soft, and she moved to follow, keeping to the shadows.

The guards led Jacen down a series of tunnels, a silent Tenel Ka in close pursuit, their footsteps echoing and bouncing off the cavern walls. They stopped at a crossroads, one kneeling to pick something up before they continued, turned a sharp corner and the one directly behind Jacen smacked him across the knees unexpectedly, sending him sprawling.

Tenel Ka flinched, a lump in her throat. He hadn't been expecting it. Her face returned to its impassive state when he began to speak, not at all surprised by his words.

"I see you're still the domineering bully, Ta'a Chume."

* * *

Ta'a Chume's gaze narrowed on her son-in-law as he pulled himself to his feet, the chains around his wrists and ankles tinkling like bells in the quiet. "I see you haven't learned your manners, slave. I grow tired of this, male. You will confront the Hapan body and admit to tricking Tenel Ka into marriage. You will then declare yourself not worthy to be her consort so a more suiting male can be chosen."

"You dream." He tossed his head, getting his bangs out of his eyes. "I might agree to one condition, but not all. You'd have to choose."

Her gaze flicked to the woman behind him as she did not deign to answer him.

Jacen side stepped the blow he felt coming, turning slightly to meet the woman's gaze. "This is wrong."

"Release her!"

Jacen ignored the imperious command as he sent the guard off with a silent one of his own. She wouldn't return for a long time. He turned back to the old woman. "Your time is at an end, Ta'a Chume. Don't you think it's time to retire? To give up all of this and just let someone else worry about the affairs of state?"

"Not until someone suitable is on the throne."

"And Tenel Ka is not?"

Ta'a Chume rose to her feet, facing him down. "No. Her choice of consort is proof of that. Until males see that their place is to serve the females of our race, there can be no order, there can be no harmony. A strong leader must be willing to make sacrifices for the greater good!"

"My wife is more than able to be Queen, you old bag. There are forces in the galaxy that you no longer understand and can't control. Tenel Ka has made more sacrifices than you will ever know, or understand. You don't know her. For a woman who claims to be so all powerful, you're certainly narrow minded."

"Silence!" Ta'a Chume snapped the word, earning Jacen an impromptu smack on the back of the head from his nearest guard.

Jacen agreed, just to throw her off balance, and bit his tongue.

The silence almost echoed in its suddenness.

"I'm glad to see you've learned, slave."

He turned his gaze away, letting it wander beyond her and giving the effect of looking _through_ her. "For a woman so dead set on dominating the men, you sure don't understand your grasp of power."

"What?" The incredulous gasp passed the old Queen's lips before she could stop herself.

Jacen focused on her again, feeling the guards drawing closer. He inwardly sighed. He was getting tired of these games. "You treat your slaves as if they're sub-human. You have them work in conditions I wouldn't subject any creature to, let alone a sentient being. You have no knowledge or desire to see them as people; only objects. The Yuuzhan Vong treated their slaves the same way; with one difference."

Ta'a Chume struggled against asking the obvious question.

* * *

Tenel Ka almost smiled as Jacen baited her grandmother. Now was not the time to reveal herself or her presence, however amusing that would be. With Jacen chained, albeit he wouldn't be for long, and her own physical condition less than prime, the few moments it took to get to him and release him would be dangerous.

She pulled a still-holo imager from her pouch, focusing it on the tableau of her husband and grandmother for a long moment before imprinting the image to memory. She listened to their conversations and watched the silent tableau with an ache in her heart. She would have to find another opportunity to step in. For now, she crept back into the shadows and away. Her chance would come.

* * *

Ta'a Chume stared Jacen in the eye, long minutes of silence passing before she finally broke down. "What would the difference be?"

"They used mind control."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

He grinned. "Choose and act, Ta'a Chume. You're bound to two worlds right now. One of old habits and ties, and a new one of possibilities and promises."

"You have no right to lecture me, you oaf!"

He chuckled. "Oaf, now? First I'm a slave, and now I'm an oaf? My, my, I'm moving up in the ranks. Dare I dream you might one day call me grandson-in-law?"

She reached out, her hand being stopped just shy of his face, her nails reflecting the faint light like daggers. "You will be dead before I acknowledge any ties you have to my family."

He met her gaze squarely, seeing the anger glittering through her mask. "I thought you said that about your daughter-in-law and look what happened to her. She became Queen because Isolder chose her. It doesn't give you much choice, Ta'a Chume. Isolder has acknowledged me; the only one left is you."

"Never." Her voice was soft, snake-like.

He released her wrist, leaving her hand close to his face. "Then do your worst, Ta'a Chume. Just know that what you do to me is irrelevant. Tenel Ka will not be bullied. She wouldn't be when she lost her arm, she's not about to start now."

Ta'a Chume looked indecisive for a few moments before she lowered her hand. "You're not worth the effort, slave."

Jacen chuckled. "I knew you liked me."

She stiffened, "When this is all over, and Tenel Ka is attached to a more suitable male, I will dine on your innards and enjoy them." She raised her voice. "Take him back to his cell."

Jacen was pulled roughly away by the guards. "I gave you a chance, Ta'a Chume, just remember that."

She didn't acknowledge him as he was pulled around the corner. With Jacen gone, she rang a small bell and waited.

Several moments passed before she waved to the shadows and several of them, red points denoting their eyes, broke away from the wall. Picking up the litter, which had been left draped around her like litter, they moved off into the shadows, carrying her back towards home. A home, she thought grimly, which was becoming far too permanent.


	3. Chapter 3

Further down the tunnels, Tenel Ka moved into the domain of the pit diggers. Those slaves designated for hard labor in expanding the underground tunnels and Ta'a Chume's domain; a domain which would soon be extinguished. Or that was the plan, anyway. Looking around at the beaten, sluggish slaves, Tenel Ka wondered if she and Jacen would be the only ones to fight for their freedom.

After the problems on Yuuzant'ar, she hoped not.

She worked her way through the passages, noting that guards were few, and far between. She stopped to observe the workers, noting their blank stares; stares of going through the motions without thought. She found herself idly wondering if the slaves here ever killed each other by accident by just 'going through the motions', and forced the morbid thought away. No matter their absorption in their work, they all deserved better than this.

A noise to her left startled her, bringing her head around.

A small boy crouched in the shadows, his luminescent eyes staring at her wide eyed. She lifted her hand to her lips, putting one finger to them to keep him quiet. He nodded, his grimy mop of hair bouncing with his head. He looked left, and then right, motioning for her to follow him. Tenel Ka cocked her head at the boy. He couldn't have been more than eight; far too young for this kind of work. He motioned again, his eyes continuing to dart around, as if watching for danger, his gestures becoming almost frantic.

She followed, feeling no threat from the boy, and kept pace as he darted across an open cavern and through several blind turns. Finally, he stopped, crouching on the floor in a small, dimly lit cave, a small fire going in the corner. A roll of bedding was along one wall, the entrance cleverly hidden by turns in the rock. Yet, as Tenel Ka crouched in the room, she knew the ceiling was too low for her to stand.

"What's yur name?"

Tenel Ka was startled for the second time by the boy. His voice was high pitched, but hushed, a slur in his words. "I am Tenel Ka. What is your name?"

"Gidden." He smiled, revealing a mouth missing many teeth. "Yur pretty lady. Why yur here?"

"I am looking for someone."

His smiled almost reached his ears. "Yu find me!"

She shook her head once. "You found me, Gidden. Where are your parents?"

His smile died. "No parents. All lone."

"Is this your home?"

He nodded, pride evident in his face. "I build it meself. Hungry?"

"Why did you bring me here?"

He scampered across the room to the fire and pulled a smoldering creature from the embers. "Yur pretty. Not like other wumens. Not mean."

"How do you know?"

He shrugged, "Me know."

Tenel Ka could feel the Force nudging her towards the boy. She took a hesitant step, sitting closer to the fire. "Do you know other things?"

He nodded. "Wumens not nice. They beats boys. They try to ketch me but kant. I knows when they come."

"How do you know?"

He shrugged again, "Me know."

Force Sensitive; there was no doubt about it. Tenel Ka reached out with the Force. "What do you feel, Gidden?"

His face lost the beaming smile and became uncertain. "Yur bright. It hurts me eyes. Why yu huts me?

She pulled back, releasing her touch and offered him her hand. "I am sorry. You are displaying Force abilities, something few in our culture have had in a long, long time. Gidden, you are special."

"I know." He grinned again, taking a bite out of the charred creature and licking his lips and her hand dropped to her lap. "So's yu. Who yu looking for?"

"Another special person. He has been taken from me."

"King?" His eyes opened wide.

She nodded once, feeling the swelling in her chest. Perhaps she could enlist his help.

Gidden giggled once before becoming serious. "King held by mean lady. No getting in there."

"You know where?"

He nodded. "Me not going, though. Mean lady hurts mens and boys. She promise lots and beats yu when she want. Mean lady bad. Me wish she die."

Tenel Ka watched him impassively, but felt the weight of his desire pressing down on her. It was obviously a common sentiment, one she would need to take into account when Ta'a Chume was finally brought before her for justice. "May I stay with you tonight?"

He nodded, his beaming smile returning. "Me hopes yu say that."

"I will collect my things. Meet me across the room when I return."

"Me come too, me help!"

"Help?"

He nodded. "Me strong. Me carry lots, help distract mean lady."

She acquiesced. "Come. We must hurry."

Gidden scampered off ahead of her and she shook her head, wondering just what she'd landed herself in as she moved to follow.

* * *

Back in his cell, Jacen paced for a few minutes, going over in his head the problems which he would encounter in the next few days.

He had to keep Ta'a Chume off balance so she wouldn't guess at the plan which was being put into motion; a plan in which the biggest, and most dangerous, obstacle would be her capture and removal to the surface. That was his job; it was up to the slaves to drop the tunnels behind him.

He continued to pace, his previous conversation with Ta'a Chume replying in his head. He'd made it back to his cell just before the guards had arrived to escort him to her. Barely; two minutes one way or the other and he'd have been discovered.

His part in this game was becoming increasingly dangerous. Not that he minded; danger was nothing new. It was just that now he had someone to come home to and he wanted to return to his wife when this was all finished. He sighed, rubbing his temples as the almost constant use of his powers weighed on his brain. He had a wicked headache and he was certain it wouldn't disappear anytime soon.

He stopped near the entrance to his cell, peering out through the bars as he watched the guards change. A new one replaced the old, the same impassive, haughty bearing the trademark of Ta'a Chume's personal guard. How old it was beginning to get.

He sighed, shaking his head to clear it. Now was not the time to get down on himself and worry about the possible problems. Now, Jacen knew, he needed to focus, to concentrate on his part in the plan and how to execute it.

He grimaced, turning away from the door. The easiest way to take her captive would be to coax her into his cell, out of the range of the guards. But that was too obvious, too anti-climactic for what he had in mind. He needed a public arena, a public display where he could, once and for all, expose her for the weak, manipulative woman she was.

He lowered himself to his sleeping mat, his mind turning over the possible, probable situations he would likely face in the next few days. He needed to turn this to his advantage, to manipulate her in a fashion she couldn't understand or predict. He needed to catch her off guard at just the right moment.

Yet, even as he thought about the coming days, his mind slipped back inside itself as exhaustion took over. Somewhere, between dreams and consciousness, he could feel his wife's presence. Yet, before he grasped it, he drifted off into the slumber of the exhausted.

* * *

Tenel Ka followed Gidden through a series of side tunnels, making note of the differences in the cave structures. She might need to find her way back if something should happen to him.

Gidden's stride was a half lope, half hop, and she noted that one of his legs appeared to be longer than the other. Not that it slowed him in the slightest; he set a pace she worked hard to keep up with and still maintain stealth. One error in these tunnels, side or not, could lead to her capture.

Tenel Ka had no illusions what would happen to her if she was brought before her Grandmother for underworld justice.

Gidden stopped suddenly, pulling back into the shadows and she crouched low beside him, attempting to melt into the surroundings as he did. Yet even as he motioned for her to be still, the sound of marching came to her ears. Around the corner, in the main tunnels, Tenel Ka could make out soldiers, two wide and many deep.

"Going to big city," Gidden told her softly, his breath feathering across her cheek. She could barely make out his words, so softly did he speak.

She turned her head to look at him, arching one eyebrow in inquiry.

He shrugged, "Mean Lady city. Party tomorrow, celebrate years of roo... of ry... long time in power."

Tenel Ka nodded once. That made sense; it was the anniversary of her Mother's coronation. They watched as the column of guards continued past their hiding spot, never once giving any indication they noticed the observers in the shadows. The last of the guards finally filled past. Tenel Ka waited until the echo of their boots began to fade before making to move. Gidden placed on hand on her arm, stopping her.

"Wait!"

She paused, following his gaze to where shadows moved like the guards before them, red eyes visible and glowing. She suppressed a shudder, feeling the fear crawl up her spine. Defels. Unconsciously, she lowered herself further towards the floor and deeper into the shadows. Gidden did the same, casting her a look full of approval.

The Defels passed slowly, and Tenel Ka waited for long minutes to be certain they had completed passed.

Gidden finally rose to his feet and dusted himself off. "Shadows mean. Have no 'spect for mens. Like to play mean."

Tenel Ka nodded once. "They are not pleasant. Come, we must be swift." She made to move off, but Gidden caught her hand and motioned back the other way.

"This way, me know shortcut."

She followed him, knowing she had no other choice, and ducked down into a tunnel which was lower, and more encompassing than the main areas. She grimaced to herself, making sure Gidden didn't see. She was really starting to hate tunnels.

They approached the section where she'd left her gear and Gidden disappeared into one of the tunnels. Tenel Ka didn't follow, instead moving to the alcove where her things had been stored. Gidden popped up at her side. "This all yurs?"

Tenel Ka nodded once. "Come. We must get back."

Gidden looked around nervously. "Can't. Mean lady going to caverns."

Tenel Ka fixed him with a hard look. "Explain."

Gidden kicked a rock at his feet, sending it across the rocky floor. "Time for inspex... inspeck..." his eyes crossed as he tried to get the word out, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

"Inspection." Tenel Ka supplied.

He nodded, smiling. "Yah. In-spec-tion. Mean lady goes to whip mens. Me small, me hide. Yu big..."

"Ah. Aha." She nodded in understanding, "What do you propose?"

"Yu said yu looking for King."

"I am."

"Mean lady and all guards be in cavern. Me take yu to King."

She eyed him carefully. "Did you not say it was dangerous?"

Gidden flushed. "Mean lady spend time in his cell talking. I hear whip. When she not there, it ok."

"Why did you fail to mention this before?"

Gidden shrugged, smiling. "Yu don't ask!"

Tenel Ka suppressed a smile. Typical logic from a child, she suspected, something she would have to get used to. "No. I did not. You can take me there?"

"'Course! Follow me."

Tenel Ka shouldered her pack, belting it on tightly before setting off on Gidden's heels. A surge of anticipation and excitement lent her stamina; she would see Jacen very, very soon. Her belly fluttered and she strove to ignore it. Should she tell him or wait until they were back on the surface? She shook the thought away. She'd decide when she saw him.

* * *

Jacen woke to the sound of the lock turning in his cell. He kept his eyes closed, weary of the confrontations, but knowing he couldn't avoid them. He didn't bother to stretch out with the Force to identify his visitor; Ta'a Chume and her guards were the only ones who could enter his cell uninvited.

"Are you back for more, Ta'a Chume, or have you come to offer your blessing?"

"I should think you already had it, husband."

His eyes flew open and he rolled toward the sound of her voice. "Tenel Ka?"

She stood in the doorway, a small child hiding behind her, his large eyes peering at him curiously. Jacen only noted the child for a second before his gaze went to his wife's face. She looked haggard, run down, but never more beautiful. Beat up, banged and bruised; she had never been a more welcome sight.

She stepped towards him, offering her hand. He caught it, still on one elbow on the sleeping mat, and kissed the back of her fingers. She fell to her knees, and he was pushed backwards as she leaned forward to hug him tightly. "I have missed you."

He inhaled her scent deeply, hugging her back, and rubbing his face against her hair, "Me too, Tenel Ka." Her presence calmed him, giving him an equilibrium he hadn't felt since coming to these wretched tunnels.

She didn't move for long minutes, simply held him within her embrace. Reluctantly, she pulled away and glanced back over her shoulder. Gidden stood watch, glancing nervously over his shoulder and them every couple of seconds.

"Jacen, we must leave. Quickly."

"I can't."

She jerked, staring down at him. "Pardon?"

He fell away from her with a sigh. "I can't leave."

"Why not?"

He flinched, feeling her displeasure. "I can't explain, not with the time we have, but I'm going to bring Ta'a Chume to the surface for justice."

Her expression changed slightly, her eyes softening with interest. "My grandmother will not be back for some time. How can I help?"

"Go back to the surface and prepare for our arrival?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "I will not flee when you need my help."

He made a face. "Wishful thinking. I can't give you all the details, but your grandmother is holding a celebration in three days in the center of her underground city. I intend to free all of the slaves and bring them to the surface. Can you get there?"

She nodded once, motioning to the child standing nervously in the doorway. "Gidden is my guide. We will be there."

"Gidden?"

The corners of her lips twitched. "I appear to have acquired an apprentice. He will keep me safe until then."

"Keep you safe?"

She pushed his shoulder gently. "He knows the tunnels. I do not. Gidden will be my guide. What do you need me to do?"

Jacen grimaced. "I'd prefer if you kept out of sight, this is kind of a guy thing."

She arched an eyebrow in inquiry.

"The slaves are all men and they're fighting for freedom. To be rescued and freed by the current Queen Mother..."

"Ah. Aha. I understand. Their pride is more important than their lives."

Jacen pushed himself into a sitting position, his face close to hers. "Sometimes, pride is all one has left. They're returning."

"Someone coming!" Gidden's hiss came from the doorway just as Jacen finished speaking.

Tenel Ka leaned forward, kissing him quickly. "Do not take chances, Jacen. Your child will need their father and I will not be your widow."

He blinked, staring after her in shock as she whirled to her feet and ran from the room, pausing long enough to push the door shut and whisper through the bars. "I love you, Jacen Solo."

He opened his mouth to reply, but she was gone.

Child? He sank back to his sleeping mat, staring at the ceiling. He was going to be a father? A slow smile spread across his face as he slid his hands behind his head. They were going to be parents and their child would be an heir to more than just Hapes and its worlds. Tenel Ka's image burned behind his eyes as he closed them, seeing her as clearly as day. He allowed himself to daydream, picturing her shape backlit by the prison hallway. Yes, he noted with satisfaction, her shape was slightly more rounded, but so much so that someone who didn't know her could be able to tell.

He really _was_ going to be a father. Blaster bolts!

His eyes sprang open and chills raced through him. What if Ta'a Chume knew Tenel Ka was here and carrying his child? Could she know, or had Tenel Ka managed to keep her secret thus far?

Jacen rolled to his feet and began to pace, the problems facing him suddenly doubled. Tenel Ka would be helping him for the celebration now, lending her the strength of will he'd always admired in her. But could she afford it?

He swore softly, knowing the answer. No; not with her resources being tapped and drained by the new life within her. But Tenel Ka could take care of herself. He knew that, knew it as sure as he knew who he was. And so another choice was upon him. He would choose to trust her judgment. She wouldn't knowingly put herself of their child in danger even for him and so their plans would continue as laid.

Yet, even as he forced himself back to the sleeping mat to sleep, he couldn't help but feel unease at his decision. Tenel Ka was his wife. The last thing he needed was to make a decision that could wipe out his family before it had begun. He forced himself to close his eyes and focus on sleeping. After this night, there would be two days before the celebration. Two days before their attempt to bring down Ta'a Chume's underground empire. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Two days before judgment day. One way or the other, Ta'a Chume's influence had to be stopped.

* * *

Tenel Ka paused outside the prison area, looking back over her shoulder for a last glance, feeling the surprise she'd sent through Jacen without trying. She nodded once before following Gidden back through the passages. They were forced to stop several times and duck for cover as the guards rounded corners or took up their previous positions. Their self-satisfied smiles and attitudes spoke of the suffering Tenel Ka would see upon her arrival in the expansion caverns. Her resolve hardened. She had two days to train Gidden in what he would need to know to assist her and two days to gather and conserve the strength she would need.

She motioned for Gidden to lead on as their way cleared, and they were starting to move out when a movement forced them back into the alcove. A male slave, cowed and covered in fresh lash marks, was being dragged toward the prison cells. His painful sounds echoed in the tunnels, drawing smiles and laughter from the guards.

Gidden squeezed closer to Tenel Ka, pressing tightly against her legs, his gaze turned in the opposite direction from the beaten man, he felt her presence suddenly become calming, reassuring. He closed his eyes, hugging her tightly until the scene had passed. The guards, curious as to the slave's fate, followed, leaving their exit momentarily clear.

Tenel Ka took no chances. She lifted Gidden in her arm and, pulling on the Force, enhanced her speed to get out of the prison caverns and back into the common ways.

Gidden didn't protest until they were in the smaller tunnels and he was in danger of hitting his head. "Lemme go."

Tenel Ka shushed him softly as she cocked an ear for signs of pursuit.

"Nobody followed. Lemme go!" He squirmed, pushing at her hands.

She released him, allowing him to slide to the floor. "Thank you, Gidden. Lead the way back to your home, we have much to do if we are to help Jacen."

"What we gonna help with?"

Tenel Ka noted idly that his basic was improving, probably from listening to her own speech. "In two days, my grandmother will be throwing a party to celebrate her lasting reign. We are going to crash it."

"Huh?"

Tenel Ka motioned for him to lead, "I will explain when we are safe. Will you help the King and I free the other men?"

"Can I come too?"

She reached out to gently pat his head, unable to resist ruffling his curly hair. "I would not dream of leaving you behind."

He hopped and grabbed her hand. "This way. I help yu... yue..." he grimaced. "I help yu-ou, yu-ou help me!"

"That is the way it works, yes."

"Good. Yu-ou need to sleep now, I stand watch."

Tenel Ka shook her head in silence. Children were such strange creatures, but she couldn't deny his assessment. She was drained, her stomach growling from lack of nourishment and she needed to sleep. Once they reached his home, she would eat and then sleep. Once she woke, there would be plenty of time to see what Gidden's abilities were... and exactly how to use them to compliment hers and Jacen's. The thought was oddly pleasing.

* * *

Jacen's next encounter with Ta'a Chume didn't occur until late the following day. He'd slept soundly the night before, having forced himself into a Jedi trance to regain his focus and energy before sleeping naturally for several hours. As a result, he'd spent most of the day in the same position and was sore, still stretching out his muscles, when the turning of the lock announced his visitors.

"Such a lazy slave," was the idle comment as Ta'a Chume entered, her guards following and rushing to place her chair in the customary position. "I'm constantly amazed at my niece's lack of training for you. Sleeping away the day, indeed."

Jacen smiled good-naturedly, executing a small bow to be contrary. "I'm afraid I don't take instruction well."

Ta'a Chume's veil didn't move, but Jacen could sense her amusement. Not the emotion he'd hoped to evoke.

"Well, yes. You don't learn through pain or humiliation like most slaves. I suppose that works in your favor since she has no stomach for either."

Jacen fought back a laugh. Tenel Ka squeamish? Surely she wasn't speaking of his wife. "She's done her share of both. Though, I'm certain you are the winner in that category."

"Indeed." Ta'a Chume's tone was thoughtful. "To you?"

Jacen chuckled. "She tried. I'm afraid all the lessons I learned were from a far better teacher than you, Ta'a Chume. Vergere could have instructed you on technique."

"Ah yes, the Fosh, wasn't it?"

Jacen jerked. Had Ta'a Chume known Vergere? That seemed highly unlikely.

Ta'a Chume seemed to be watching his reactions, and he could feel her amusement. "Don't act so surprised, Jacen Solo, we would have eventually cracked your code word."

"I don't follow."

Ta'a Chume waved one hand and a holo projection unit was brought forward. "Surely you remember writing my niece."

Jacen blanked his features. Surely Tenel Ka hadn't kept his message from all those years ago, not when it could now be used against him. "Once or twice."

Ta'a Chume flicked the "On" switch, and Jacen felt his blood run cold. He saw himself recounting his time with Vergere in the seed ship, speaking of his time in the nursery and on Yuuzhan'tar. He felt Ta'a Chume watching for his reaction, and didn't feel inclined to give her one. He hadn't been expecting this, but then, what could she really do with the information?

Ta'a Chume finally shut off the holo. "As you can see, I have had my encryption experts on this for some time."

"That's an understatement. I sent that holo years ago."

Ta'a Chume waved her hand. "Such an encryption and obscure password certainly deserved breaking. And I must say, do you think Tenel Ka's loyal subjects will still accept you when this becomes public?"

Jacen relaxed. So that was her plan. "Your people admire bravery and self preservation, Ta'a Chume. Even at the expense of oneself. You taught them that, I believe. My history will make no difference."

"No? When you are the brother of the boy who destroyed half of our fleet? When you are the man which abducted the Queen Mother from Mon Calamari and sent the government into a tail spin? When you are the _man_ who claims to be King of a woman dominant society? I think you overestimate your chances."

Jacen chuckled. "I think you're getting ahead of yourself. Tenel Ka received that message and accepted what has happened to me, Ta'a Chume. What makes you think your people are so different? They have tasted freedoms they hadn't imagined under your reign. Teneniel brought up their standard of living and created a society where women still have the power, but men can be respected, even as an object. Tenel Ka is taking the next logical step with her upbringing and education. How can any intelligent being take that message and misconstrue it as anything but a factual account of survival?"

"Because you aided our enemy, Jacen Solo," Ta'a Chume practically purred, her voice laced with lethal overtones. "You aided them when you should have been their captive. You aided them in their mission for dominance and assisted in the quest to convert Coruscant. You were their instrument, contributing to the death of a well known Jedi. And while I dislike the Jedi, my granddaughter's idea for free press will now work against you. Ganner died protecting you, a _traitor_. My people accept deceit and lies as a way of life. They do not accept a betrayal of their ideals so easily."

"And your solution?"

"You know my conditions, slave. I want you to leave the Hapan court and never return. Leave quietly, and I will spare you this disgrace."

"I promised Tenel Ka I would be with her, no matter the circumstances, Ta'a Chume. No threats of yours, no matter how vile, will alter the terms of that vow. I am her husband, weather you like it or not, and she _will_ stand by me. Your power over your people has ended." He waved a hand at the holo projector. "This will not change that."

Ta'a Chume rose to her feet. "I gave you fair warning, Jacen Solo. You will never leave these tunnels alive."

Jacen smiled faintly. "I've faced worse than you, Ta'a Chume. I wouldn't underestimate me."

She laughed a short, harsh laugh. "Tomorrow you will see the folly of your ways. Enjoy your solitude, slave, it's the last you'll have."

The cell door clanged shut behind her and Jacen stared at it, his Danger Sense going into overdrive as her words echoed through the halls. She meant it. Jacen took a deep breath. He would live until the ceremony tomorrow. That would be long enough to put the escape plan into action. If everything went according to plan, he could thwart Ta'a Chume's plans for his life's blood. She didn't know about the child, of that he was certain, and until she could be put to trial for her crimes, he would ensure it stayed that way. Otherwise, he was certain she'd find a way to try and have him killed, this time for real.


	4. Chapter 4

Tenel Ka spent the better part of the days leading up to the ceremony sleeping, eating, and testing Gidden. His pronunciation was improving, even though his grammar wasn't. As it was, he already had the makings of a strong young Jedi. He wasn't telekinetically inclined, something she'd only seen in the Horn bloodline before, but his abilities did include a highly developed danger sense, a minor absorb/dissipate ability and the ability to hide in a crowd, to blur his image. It explained a lot as to his current whereabouts.

Gidden also exhibited similar scavenging traits that Tenel Ka had only seen before in their friend Zekk. Gidden wasn't mechanically inclined, but could find and trap all sorts of creatures. For a young child, he'd done well for himself.

Keeping in mind his age, Tenel Ka focused only on the abilities she was able to identify and use herself. Slowly, she came up with a plan that he could help with, outlining it in the barest of details so that it could be adapted to fit the situation they would be walking into. She felt certain that, whatever Jacen's plan, she would have to work around it.

Gidden worked diligently, making long ropes of coarse, braided hair from the animals found in the tunnels. They ate well, his traps bringing in several large rodent-like creatures with shaggy pelts and a tangy taste. Yet, Tenel Ka felt on edge. They were safe in his hideaway, carefully piling their supplies into her pack once they were made for quick movement, and only had to move once more when the guard arrived to try and round up table setters for the ceremony.

They returned to find half of the diggers had been taken, leaving ever fewer to do the tasks assigned. Tenel Ka couldn't help but note that the piles of rock never seemed to get bigger, but only seemed to change shape. Yet, even as she had watched, one of the diggers had cracked a seam in the ceiling and then placed several items inside. She'd ducked out of sight before being caught watching. These people too, were preparing for revolt.

Had Jacen managed to acquire the cooperation of all the men in this underground slave pit? She hoped so. Stretching out in the small shelter, she fingered the hilt of her lightsaber and then Jacen's. She would need to get it to him, and she already knew how she would do that. It was keeping Gidden safe at the same time which worried her. The child was getting attached and wouldn't let her leave his side.

A probable problem, but she had to admit she was enjoying the attention. Tenel Ka watched the child, running her gaze over the curly blonde hair, the narrow cheeks and down to the sure hands, moving quickly through the braiding motion. He was making more snares, more rope, which would help them occupy the guards. Her stomach fluttered and she pressed her hand to the gentle swell of her stomach. She hoped their child was as engaging.

Gidden looked up to find her staring and grinned, his smile almost impish. He'd lost the look of uncertainty and suspicion he'd first carried, now willing to let her lead and simply follow.

As it should be for a child of his age. "Are you finished, Gidden?"

"Almost." He continued to slowly braid the length, his attention focused. "You eat enough?"

"Yes."

"How come you don't speak much?"

"I do not believe friends need words. They can be comfortable in silence."

"But..." he frowned, trying to make sense of her logic. "Friends need to talk too!"

She nodded. "This is a fact."

He giggled, his eyes dancing. "You said it again!"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "This is also a fact. I am not a person of many words, Gidden. I do not like to speak at length if a small sentence will get my point across."

Gidden finished tying off the end of the rope before holding it over their hear source and searing the end. "How come? You have a pretty voice."

"Thank you."

He made a spontaneous face at her. "You don't smile neither. How come?"

She suppressed a sigh. He was certainly curious about her. "My family was not open with their emotions. It is a survival skill, similar to your ability to hide in plain sight. My enemies do not need to know my weaknesses."

"And smiling is a weakness?" He looked surprised before trying to school his features into a mask of emotionlessness to match hers. "It's hard."

"Fact. It is not easy and I have many more years of practice than you."

"Who tried to hurt you, Ten'Ka?"

She felt her lips twitch at his abbreviation of her name. She hadn't been able to get him to say her full name yet. Not that she was surprised, she was just happy his basic was improving; it made him easier to understand. "My grandmother."

"Mean lady?" His eyes widened dramatically. He edged closer, wrapping his arms around his legs. "How come?"

"My mother is not of Hapes and my grandmother did not think a half-breed Hapan should ascend to the throne. Not when she had no control of her upbringing."

"She didn't raise you?"

She shook her head once. "My mother insisted she raise me to know my dual heritage. I spent my youth, before the Jedi Academy, on Dathomir. I will take you there some day, if you like."

He nodded enthusiastically. "I wanna see! How diff'rnt is it?"

"Very. Have you been to the surface?"

Gidden shook his head, his eye shining with anticipation. "Nope."

Tenel Ka pointed at their rock roof. "There is no roof, only blue sky. There is a night and day, as set by our sun, not lights. The cities... they are not like the ones you know."

"How come?"

"We are not restricted to the dimensions of the existing tunnels and do not need to carve out caverns in which to build."

"Wow."

Tenel Ka inclined her head. "Yes, the structures are impressive. Where will you live, Gidden?"

He grinned. "That's easy. I come live with you and King, be special runner. Me good at that." He beamed.

Tenel Ka turned to words over in her head. Her grandmother wouldn't like that one bit. She saw him trying to smother a yawn and shook the dilemma away. "We will speak of it later, it is time for rest."

"Okay."

She arched an eyebrow as he went straight to his bed without complaint, aware that it was unusual for a child to behave in that manner, and came to the conclusion he was probably more tired than she. She settled into her own bed, the rocks forming the indent jagged at hip and knee, and closed her eyes. She always slept lightly and tonight, without a guard, she would sleep lighter than most. Nothing would happen to Gidden, not when she had the powers to stop it. In those moments before sleep she made a decision. Gidden _would_ come to live at the palace before being apprenticed to a Jedi. As she drifted off into sleep, she found herself thinking that Jacen would not object. No, in fact, she was positive he would insist.

The thought was comforting.

* * *

Ta'a Chume looked over the vast, vacant area stretching out before the dais. Her chair, similar in detail to the Hapan throne, sat in the middle. Around it, in a semi circle and within line of sight, were chairs and cages for the slaves and women who would join her.

Directly in front and below, on a separate raised platform, was a cage with restraints. Jacen's cage. Her lip curled under her veil as she pictured the young man in her mind. Impudent, outspoken and infuriating. She didn't know what her granddaughter could possibly see in such a completely unsuitable male. Not that he was unpleasant looking - he was simply the wrong kind of male to be a consort. Too willful and demanding. Ta'a Chume found herself thinking about the gun of command and pushed the thought away. It was proven Jedi didn't respond well to it, and some were immune. It didn't help she no longer had access to the vault in the palace where it was kept. As useful as it was, it was beyond even her abilities to retrieve. For the moment.

Her thoughts came back to the present as the echoes of the caves, now as familiar as the waves crashing on the beaches of the Fountain Palace, soothed her. She could see the shadows moving against the walls, the eyes of the Defel's, the shadow people, their only visible identification. So useful. She knew her granddaughter was in the tunnels, just not where. Every time the Defel's caught her trail, it would disappear soon after. All Ta'a Chume knew for certain, was that Tenel Ka was here, somewhere, and probably set on rescuing her consort.

A lower cage near her was being prepped for a special guest, the restraints carefully short to keep the occupant on its knees or back. The occupant would be the last part of her plan; their bait, now that she'd fallen so easily into their hands. It was funny; Ta'a Chume had expected more from such a prisoner.

A smile twisted her lips. Tenel Ka wouldn't have a choice but to step forward. Let the little warrior princess come; she'd fall neatly into the trap.

* * *

Jacen was dragged from his cell in the evening the following day. By his heels.

He crossed his arms behind his head and waited as they dragged him into the hall. His dreams had been chaotic, mixed, and he was thankful they didn't expect him to walk from his cell just roused; he wasn't quite awake yet.

The feel of a blade against his neck as he was hauled to his feet brought him completely into consciousness. He didn't move as they slit the loose clothing from his body. Naked, the guards hauled him by the arms towards the ceremony grounds. He went along amiably, not a bit fazed by the change in their tactics. He'd have to find clothing eventually, to emerge on the surface, however, it wasn't necessary to his current plans. Of course, it would be a little unnerving having his wife's _grandmother _looking at him, but it was for a good cause.

He hoped.

They let him go as he kept pace, and Jacen walked between the four women with an easy stride. Completely awake and aware of his surroundings, he noted that there was an anticipation in the air. Not just the guards, their steps a little more lively than normal, but the slaves working in the main corridors had more energy, more purpose. He kept his face blank. Ta'a Chume was going to get quite the surprise when they made her a prisoner. Good thing he wasn't petty, he might just want her to endure what she'd put him through!

They turned a corner and stopped, the grounds spread out below them, beginning to fill with Ta'a Chume's loyal supporters and their staff. He idly noted that the men outnumbered the women almost six to one. A shame no one considered them a threat. There were already enough people gathered in the square to make him feel the first twinge of unease. Women, almost exclusively, lined the crowd nearest him, turning to see who was being escorted.

A stick in his kidneys pushed him forward, and he barely restrained himself as the hand of a nearby woman snaked towards his buttocks. The crowd didn't part, but pressed in towards him, hands grasping to feel his body as if he were a piece of meat at an auction. A sick feeling suddenly overcame him and his gaze sought Ta'a Chume. She was seated regally several yards away on her duplicate throne. Suddenly he knew that she was going to try and give him to one of her cronies. He wanted to wretch.

He pulled the guards closer to him, mentally using the Force to reinforce the command as the crowd began to press closer. The bodies of the guards shielded him from the wandering hands of the gathered. The guards finally stopped at the base of the separate cage, music starting up from somewhere in the square and floating over the assembly. The murmur of the crowd, so soft he hadn't noticed it before, now became a roar in his ears as he was forced into the cage. One guard grabbed his hands, slapping them into manacles before locking the cage. Spread wide, his arms offered no protection from the women's hungry looks.

Jacen looked at his situation, mentally trying, and only partially succeeding, to block out the lascivious stares of the power hungry women pressing to get a look at him. He couldn't help it; he laughed.

Ta'a Chume drew his gaze and he mockingly inclined his head towards her, feeling her anger. He hadn't expected her to try and humiliate him, or distract him by making him a side show. Point to Ta'a Chume. She seemed to recognize the gesture for what it was, but he barely saw the jerk of her chin before she pointedly ignored him. Apparently he wasn't the first item on the list for today's festivities.

Jacen blocked the uncomfortable feeling the lust filled eyes directed his way were sending him, and doggedly tried to find the contacts he'd made in the crowd.

Verak, his neck bound in a tight collar, staked to one of the females, his hair done nicely for the festival. Verak didn't look in Jacen's direction, and Jacen mentally nodded. One.

He scanned the crowd again, finding Jeck and Marh, the dissenter, bearing arms for the guards, their arms laden with ceremonial weapons, their backs bent under the weight. Two and three.

The last, Gan, he couldn't find. Jacen turned his head as far as he could to the right and left, observing that a pit had been dug a ways from him and filled with sand and water. Dueling. He shook his head, continuing to look for Gan, his brows drawing together when he was unable to locate him. He had to be there somewhere.

A Force presence washed over him, a sudden flare of anger mixed with amusement, and he knew Tenel Ka had arrived. He couldn't see her, but, from her emotions, he knew she could see him. And she was amused? He'd have to have words with that wife of his.

Jacen gave up looking for Gan, and turned his attention back to his target. Each of the sect leaders had been given a specific woman. Ta'a Chume's supporters were fair game to the slaves; it had been their one condition in dropping the tunnels and allowing the worst of them to escape. It had also been Jacen's only concession. The guards were to be allowed to return to the surface, as were any offspring or female help. Only the heads of the different houses could be targeted.

He hadn't liked giving the concession; however, the sect leaders had insisted it was their right. Jacen had chosen; the heads of the houses were weeds, and needed to be plucked.

Now, surrounded by the mass of grasping, scheming women, he didn't feel so bad giving that concession. It would serve them right for treating men like meat.

Silence descended over the crowd as Ta'a Chume rose to her feet. A herald announced her, starting with her lineage, and moving down through the titles to the final, "And former Queen of Hapes, Ta'a Chume."

The roar of the crowd for just a moment was no less deafening than the silence which immediately followed. Jacen shook his head, his ears ringing, as the echo bounced back, focusing on the cage. Vicious woman, he glared at Ta'a Chume. She was gesticulating to the crowd, standing regally as she spoke, and pointedly ignoring him; vicious, cunning, conniving woman. He rotated his shoulders, letting the aggravation drain away. She was expecting to put him off balance and he couldn't let her do that.

He turned to examine his manacles to get a feel for how long it would take to escape when Ta'a Chume's words caught his complete attention. He turned back just as she whipped a cover off the nearest slave's cage.

"-give you, the Yuuzhan Vong!"

He examined the captive with dread, a tight leash around their neck, drawn close to keep them on their knees. The woman, for she was half-turned his way and there was no doubting the silhouette, struck a chord immediately. The golden-violet eyes, the un-mutilated face, wreathed with a wealth of black hair.

Vola.

Vola's head lolled to one side, favoring one arm for the other, one of her knees twisted at an un-natural angle. One of her shoulders leaked blood through several wounds, staining the fabric of her torn and tattered shirt. She looked in his direction, her gaze pleading, glazed with pain.

Jacen shook his head fractionally, seeing the despair in her gaze, the same emotions he'd seen on Yuuzhan'tar when Nom Anor had decided to take her captive. He felt the weight of her silent plea bear down on him as he took in her injuries. Ta'a Chume had thrown a curve ball.

Ta'a Chume looked in Jacen's direction for a moment, and he felt violated, fighting the need to cross his legs. Ta'a Chume turned back to the mass. "This Yuuzhan Vong was caught on the surface attempting to enter the Royal Palace. She claimed to know the Royal Family. She knows of the male in front of you today. She has worked with him, helped him, in deceiving the Queen Mother to this new way of thinking. She has _poisoned_ their minds with-"

Jacen blocked her out, focusing on Vola. The diminutive Yuuzhan Vong showed abrasive markings on her wrists and ankles where cuffs too tight for her limbs had rubbed them raw. Her clothing was in a sorry state, torn at hem and up one thigh. Apparently alien female prisoners didn't get the same treatment as their human counterparts in Ta'a Chume's world.

Jacen let the Force fall away from him, slipping into the unique sense of the Yuuzhan Vong which he'd practiced far too seldom in the last months. It was weak at first, difficult to grasp with so small a focal point, but he forced himself to concentrate. An assessment of Vola's physical state revealed significant injuries and he could tell she was in pain. He focused, finding the puncture wound in her upper back, through one of the muscles in her shoulder. Carefully, knowing he couldn't over tax himself with so much at stake, he repaired the worst of the wounds, encouraging the muscles to mend quickly. He heard her shriek from far away, and drew back, opening his eyes. Her arm and leg still broken, but the bleeding had stopped only Vola now lay unconscious in her cage.

Blaster bolts! Jacen winced. He'd pushed too fast, too far. She needed to see a healer, and quick.

Ta'a Chume hadn't stopped talking, simply assumed that Vola was acting based on her words. She didn't notice that the Yuuzhan Vong had stopped moving.

Jacen drew a deep breath, feeling his careful planning beginning to unravel. Vola was a wild card, Tenel Ka was a wild card and Flynn, for he had to be somewhere close by, was a wild card. Too many. There were too many unknowns, too many chances which shouldn't be taken and too many things which could go wrong.

A snap-hiss of a lightsaber was distinct in a sudden silence.

Jacen's head whipped around as Tenel Ka strode from the crowd, her amethyst blade held before her, her features blank. He noted she was alone, dressed in her armor, his lightsaber strapped to the belt at her waist. Her hair was braided for combat and wrapped tightly around her head. His heart sank. She'd seen Vola, seen the exchange, and noted that time was of the essence. Only she'd interpreted it wrong and now she, and their unborn child, were targets.

"Tenel Ka, don't!"

A murmur swept the crowd as Jacen's plea echoed through the cavern. His well laid plans were getting shot down one at a time, and now, with Tenel Ka in plain view, they'd crumbled completely. Improvisation was the only route.

Tenel Ka didn't look at him, simply stared straight at her grandmother. "Grandmother. Release them."

Ta'a Chume looked down at her granddaughter. "You were always a fool." Her voice rose, carrying to the women arrayed behind Tenel Ka and through the cave. "No Queen Mother in history has ever sacrificed anything for a male. And, yet, here you are placing your house, your line, your very life on the line for _him_. You actions have proven that you are not fit to be Queen Mother!"

Tenel Ka's eyes narrowed as she leapt to the dais, her lightsaber humming. "You have undermined my rule since before I was born. You have murdered my mother and stolen my husband. I will no longer bear your name. I no longer have a grandmother. I am now Tenel Ka Djo Solo. Your power stops here."

A collective gasp could be heard, and Ta'a Chume fell away from Tenel Ka, taking a step backwards in shock. "You can't. Without me, you have no claim to the throne!"

Tenel Ka eyed her steadily. "My mother, Teneniel Djo, was a princess of Dathomir and the Queen Mother of Hapes. I am my mother's daughter. You _do not matter_."

Ta'a Chume regarded her for a long moment and laughed. "You're in my world, Tenel Ka. Guards!"

Shadows detached themselves from the area around the platform. Tenel Ka didn't turn her gaze away from the woman she would never again call grandmother. "Are you so anxious to die?"

Ta'a Chume laughed harshly. "I could ask you the same, child. Seize her!"

Tenel Ka whirled in a graceful move, kicking out and catching three of the Defels in one movement. Two went down mortally wounded from her lightsaber, their shrieks piercing in their tone, as the third fell away to regroup. Four more pressed in. Tenel Ka leapt from the dais to the ground, moving in perfect harmony with the Force.

Jacen watched her with a barely constrained awe. She was immersing herself in the Force, letting it flow more completely through her than he'd even felt before. And she was doing it because she had to, because he could _feel_ her physical and mental focus waning; all because she was carrying his child.

Guilt overcame him. She had come for him, acted before she was ready to free a friend, and was now putting herself in danger. She was in danger because he hadn't been able to act first. She looked straight at him suddenly, as if reading his thoughts. One of the guards struck her in the middle, causing her to double over and roll at the unexpected blow.

"Tenel Ka!"

She rolled backwards, regaining her feet. With another graceful jump, she move to the cage where Jacen was being kept, her lightsaber slashing before her feet touched the platform.

And simple as that, he was free. Wasting no time, he called his lightsaber to him. It sprang to his grip from her belt, igniting mid-air, and he slashed the bars even as she cut through the bottom of the bars. Jacen grabbed her with his other arm as she made to move away. "Stay with me!" he told her, dropping to the ground.

The crowd parted as they fell into a defensive stance. Jacen faced the crowd; Tenel Ka faced the dais where Ta'a Chume stood. The Defels crowed in, and Tenel Ka fell back, knocking into Jacen.

"Tenel Ka?"

She made a sound he hadn't heard before, and he could feel a sudden surge of alarm, whirling to the front of her, and meeting the Defels straight on. They fell quickly before him before Ta'a Chume finally called them off. In front of Jacen's whirling green blade, there was little the shadow people could do.

Tenel Ka was trembling at Jacen's back; he could feel it where her hip touched his. He turned, pulling her close to his side, her lightsaber trailing downwards and out. Daring a look down to her face, he saw a sheen of sweat on her forehead. Blaster bolts! It was late night, late enough that she would be feeling the effects of her pregnancy after a long day. "Don't quit on me now, Tenel Ka."

"Never." Her reply was soft, but determined, her gray eyes glazed from the effort to control her body's natural instincts. She swallowed convulsively, lifting her blade. "Next time we vacation, Jacen Solo, I expect sunshine, not rock, overhead."

He laughed, releasing her. "But tunnels are our forte, my love, and you look so lovely covered in rock dust. When we get out of here, I promise you a real vacation."

"I have missed you, Jacen."

He swung his blade. "You're making jokes, so you must have. Let's get out of here, and then I can show you how much I missed you. _To Arms!_" His voice rose above the noise, carrying through the cavern easily. He wryly wondered why he'd bothered thinking of a speech to rouse the men when he'd known he'd never have a chance to use it.

As if awaiting his signal, the slaves suddenly erupted from their slack state, turning on their masters and the guards as one wave, hitting most and rending unconscious a good number as the attacks blind-sided the ever-confident women. Skirmishes broke out, some pockets of alert guards backing into each other and swinging at the nearest men. The men retrieved the weapons of the fallen and moved to engage, yelling war cries that were lost in the roar of the battle.

Jacen pushed his way forward, Tenel Ka watching his back, as they made their way towards Ta'a Chume. Around them, former slaves fell to the blades of the guards, only for the guards to fall to more slaves. Jacen avoided the pockets of fighting he could, slashing his way around the outskirts of several as they moved back and forth in front of him.

A giggle was suddenly heard above the shouts of injured and surprised guards, followed by a rock. "Mean lady have no family!"

"Gidden, do not!" Tenel Ka's command was firm.

"You no fun, Ten'Ka!" another rock pelted the former Queen Mother on the dais. "But me listen."

Ta'a Chume glared at the direction the rocks were thrown from as she was attempting to organize some kind of resistance. Gidden's giggle came again and he revealed himself for only a moment to stick his tongue out at her before disappearing again.

Ta'a Chume moved, directing like a general from the dais, Defels and her guards arrayed in a tight circle around the base. One smaller squad she directed in Gidden's direction, but them met immediate resistance and were hauled down under a mass of men.

Jacen and Tenel Ka cut into the guards around the base of the dais with sure strokes, giving them the opportunity to run. Every one stood their ground, facing off against the Jedi with the intention of dying for the former Queen Mother. Limbs were cut off and screams filled their ears as one after another they moved to face the Jedi.

Tenel Ka finally turned off her lightsaber, sick of the injuries and death. "The Queen Mother commands you move aside. Your penalty is death for disobedience."

She could see the guards waver, and allowed Force compulsion to enter her voice. "Now."

They broke and ran, the Defels melting into the shadows as Tenel Ka fought her revulsion of the creatures. She couldn't stop to deal with it now.

"Someone get that child!"

Tenel Ka and Jacen turned as another group of guards broke from the fight, heading for Gidden. Jacen moved to follow, but Tenel Ka placed her hand on his arm, shaking her head once. "We cannot."

Jacen watched, amazed, as Gidden pelted the guards with rocks, knocking some of them over from the force of his throws. The little boy appeared to grow in size, causing the guards to slow in confusion. Jacen chuckled, able to see through the illusion. That power didn't normally manifest so early. "I'll have to ask you how you taught him that later."

Tenel Ka wasn't listening, already climbing the steps to the dais. "Ta'a Chume."

A sudden, unexpected kick, sent Tenel Ka back down the stairs and straight into Jacen's arms.

"Tenel Ka?" his throat was dry; she had to be more off balance than he thought to be caught so unawares.

"I am alright. Get her. She cannot be allowed to escape."

He noted she was dazed, pale and ashen under her color. She pushed him away. "Go. I will be alright."

He gave her a hard look, bending down to kiss her quickly before jumping straight up to the dais. He landed behind of Ta'a Chume, grabbing her by the arms and lifting her off the ground as she was attempting to go over the other side. "I will not allow you to threaten my family any longer! Ta'a Chume, I place you under arrest for espionage, illegal activities and assault of a Noble. With the Queen Mother's power, you will submit to Hapan authorities and stand trial for your crimes."

He placed her roughly on the ground, grabbing her hands and twisting them behind her back. "Move."

Her feet remained locked in place.

Jacen bent his head close to her ear. "You're not worth my time, Ta'a Chume, but if I have to break both of your legs to make them bend, I will."

She jerked at the unexpected threat. "You have no power, male."

He pushed her forward, sending her tumbling to the ground at the bottom of the stairs. "I have more than you like, which is why you hate me so much."

Tenel Ka knelt next to the former monarch and cast a glance his way. "You will need to carry her."

He blinked. "I didn't break anything, why?"

Tenel Ka waved her hand at the woman. "She is unconscious."

Jacen crouched down as Verak appeared in front of him, the long time slave looking at Tenel Ka cautiously. "Jacen, we've bound or captured most of the guards and female assistants. Where did you want us to put them?"

"We'll need to bring them to the surface and drop the tunnels before those who didn't come today hear of this. Without her," he waved a hand at Ta'a Chume's still form, "they won't have a leader to focus on."

Verak nodded, turning to go, "I'll let Jeck know."

"And Verak?"

"Yes?"

"Could you find me some pants?"

Verak laughed as he moved back into the mass of people. Tenel Ka looked up at her husband as Gidden appeared at her side. "King fight good."

She placed her hand on his shoulder, hearing Jacen's lightsaber ignite as he moved away again. "Did the guards surrender?"

Gidden nodded vigorously. "Yup, yup! They think me big and mean. Let Marh's guys tie 'em up. I laugh when they see me just a kid. This is fun, is all Jedi stuff this fun?"

Tenel Ka squeezed his shoulder. "You have done well, Gidden."

Gidden's eyes widened and he took a step back as Jacen dropped to the ground in front of them, the unconscious Vola held tightly in his arms.

"Eek!" he screamed, darting behind Tenel Ka.

Tenel Ka eyed Gidden. "Vola is a friend. Do not be frightened."

Jacen gently stroked Vola's cheek. "If she's here, where's Flynn?"

Gidden peeked around Tenel Ka. "Ten'Ka, is Flynn funny talking man?"

Jacen looked to his wife for an explanation.

Tenel Ka's lips twitched. "My cousin appeared on our way here. They arrived yesterday, and Vola was kidnapped. He came searching for her."

"So where is he now?"

Tenel Ka turned, looking out across the mass of bodies which was slowly organizing into ranks as the women were led from the cave towards the surface exits. A lone figure was making their way against the crowd, dragging one of the guards by the hair. "There."

Jacen followed her gaze and swore, putting Vola carefully on the ground before moving quickly to meet the agitated young man.

"Jacen, my man this is some party you guys throw. Thanks for rescuing my girl!"

Jacen winced at the choice of words, shouted across the distance. He covered the ground quickly, meeting Flynn half-way. "I'd say welcome to my world, but you're not supposed to be here."

Flynn grinned easily. "We're thinking about honeymooning here - if we can find someone to perform the ceremony. Though," his face darkened. "I don't think Vola'll be so down with the idea any more. We didn't get the royal welcome, if you know what I mean."

Jacen slapped the younger man on the shoulder. "Drop your captive with the guards and we'll see if we can fix that."

Flynn shrugged, dropping the unconscious woman he held by the hair. "I was thinking a hostage trade, ya know, one for one. Glad to see you got the wrinkled hag."

Jacen laughed. "Wrinkled hag? You can't see her face!"

"It ain't the appearance man, you should know that. That one was a right witch."

Jacen shook his head silently, marveling at the man's opinions. Flynn just couldn't be told what to think, which was probably a good thing since he was thinking of making Ta'a Chume his slave for a day. He coughed to hide a sudden laugh, leading Flynn back to where Tenel Ka was tending Vola's injuries. Flynn as Ta'a Chume's punishment? Vola would have a field day.

"How is she?"

Tenel Ka looked up from her patient as Flynn knelt on Vola's other side. "She will live, but she will need to rest. It is good to see you cousin."

Flynn grinned, "You too, Tenel Ka. Who's your shadow? I didn't have a chance to ask when I caught up with you before all this started." He waved a hand indicating the area where the slaves were herding the women towards the surface exits.

"I Gidden," the boy grinned, extending a grubby hand. "Ten'Ka says you nice man and she good womans?"

Flynn chuckled. "Gidden, huh? Nice to know ya. This here's Vola, she's going to be my wife."

Gidden's eyes widened comically. "But she a mean one!"

Jacen chuckled. "Have you met Yuuzhan Vong before, Gidden?"

Gidden blushed, scuffing one shoe in the dust. "No, King, me haven't. Stories are bad, real bad. Nobody badder, not even mean lady. Them bads."

Flynn ruffled Gidden's hair. "When she's better, maybe you can talk with her, little man. Vola's the sweetest person you'll ever meet."

"Nuh uh! Ten'Ka sweetest!"

Flynn grinned. "Aye, she can be, and Jacen here'd agree with ya. I'm kinda bias."

"You staying with Ten'Ka and King too?"

Jacen looked at the boy amused, "Too? Tenel Ka, did you invite him to come stay with us?"

"I did."

Jacen looked at her, expecting more, but she continued to quietly tend Vola's wounds. It was as if she had extended the invitation and that was that. "Uh, Tenel Ka, don't you think we should talk about this?"

She rose to her feet, dusting off her knees. "She will be fine, Flynn. Carry her carefully." She turned to Jacen. "Is it a problem?"

"No, I just-"

"Do you not wish it?"

"No, I-"

"He has potential and no where to go. Do you expect me to leave him here?"

"No, I don-"

"Then there is nothing to dis-."

Jacen pulled her close, slanting his mouth over hers to shut her up long enough to get a word in edgewise. She melted under his touch, her body firmly pressing against his, molding itself to him. His hands slid down her arms, grasping her by the upper arms and caressing the firm, muscular flesh. She arched into him, her mouth opening to his. Jacen pulled away, feeling his knees trembling. "Will you let me get two words in edgewise?" he asked hoarsely.

She nodded mutely, her gray eyes molten silver with hunger.

He closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his thoughts before meeting her gaze again. "I don't have a problem with Gidden coming to live with us. My question is for how long. Are you thinking about making him a part of the family or is this just until Uncle Luke can be called to find him a master?"

Her mouth worked for a moment, her eyes slowly returning to normal as she forced herself to think. "I have not decided."

"Would you like him to stay with us?" His hand slipped down to cover her abdomen, "Do you think he'd like to be an older brother?"

Tenel Ka looked over where the boy was in a discussion with Flynn. He was obviously enthralled by the tale Flynn was spinning as he'd assumed what she had taken to calling his 'listening' pose. He was sitting on the ground, his arms wrapped tightly around legs pulled close to his chest, his eyes almost bulging out of his head. "He would treat any child of ours as his own kin," she answered honestly. "I do not know if I wish him the problems of living in the palace."

Jacen laughed softly, gently turning her face back his way and stroking her cheek, reluctantly leaving the firm skin of her abdomen. "You didn't turn out so bad, love. His upbringing so far was at least as harsh as yours. I won't object, if that's what you're worried about; I'll even volunteer to take him on as an apprentice."

Her lips stretched just a fraction, sliding into the soft smile that was his and his alone. "I did not want to ask."

His head bent towards her fractionally. "Scared, my love?"

"Never."

"Then what?"

"Nervous. One child is enough to have within a year. Gidden would constitute a second."

Jacen chuckled, lowering his head. "I think we'll manage."

She met his head half-way, kissing him lingeringly.

"Ten'Ka!"

Jacen groaned as she pulled away, burying his face in the side of her neck. His arms dropped to his waist, his fingers digging into her hips and preventing her from moving away. "Don't move, Tenel Ka, or I'll embarrass myself."

Her eyes danced as she gave him a knowing look. "Yes, Gidden?"

"I got pants for King! Verak said I big help, I get big honor. You proud of me?"

"Very. Quickly, give them to Jacen."

Gidden paused just out of reach. "Why you hug King?"

Jacen laughed silently into her shoulder, his arms still tight around her.

"I have missed him."

"But... you saw him two days ago, me help, remember?"

Tenel Ka nodded. "I know. But we had to leave him there. This time, he is coming home with us."

"Yipee!" Gidden bounded closer, holding out the pants. "Do me have to keep calling him King?"

Jacen looked up, accepting the pants and turning his back to the child to put them on, careful to keep Tenel Ka between him and Gidden. He was glad the child didn't pursue; that could have proved awkward.

"You may call him Jacen, Gidden. King is his title."

"Yay! Me like Jay."

Jacen laughed. "Jay is my sister's nick name; I don't think I'd answer to it after all these years."

Gidden frowned. "Jay-sin. You name hard."

Jacen tied off the pants, glad to be covered again, before turning back to Gidden. "You'll get it, Gidden."

Gidden nodded vigorously. "I try really, really hard. Ten'Ka, we going yet?"

Tenel Ka took his hand and turned him back to Flynn and Vola. Flynn was in the process of tying Ta'a Chume's hands and feet together. "We are ready."

Jacen stepped up, sliding an arm around her waist as they moved back to join Flynn. Vola and Ta'a Chume still lay unconscious. Flynn looked up as they approached and stopped, sitting back on his heel and grinning. "Ya look like a little family, cuz. Jacen, my man, when are you going to give me some second cousins, eh?"

"Sooner than you think, Flynn. How's Vola doing?"

Flynn blinked once, not quite catching the meaning behind Jacen's response before answering. "She's not awake yet, but I think she'll be ok. Tenel Ka wields one mean bandage. We should get out of here. I'm hearing echoes; like something's coming. I don't think we wanna get caught up in it, if you know what I mean."

"Echos?" Gidden cocked his head, listening. His eyes widened after a couple of moments. "More bad womans coming! Lots of em! Maybe army."

"Then let's get out of here. Tenel Ka...?"

She stepped away, taking up her lightsaber, un-ignited. Her face was pale, drawn, and Jacen knew she would never admit to the weakness pulsing through her body. She was too proud. "I am ready. Come."

Jacen picked up Ta'a Chume with one arm, and slung her over his shoulder, keeping on hand free just in case. Flynn carefully picked up Vola, unable to be rough with her. Jacen motioned for Flynn to go in the middle. "Gidden, go with Tenel Ka, help her. I'll watch our backs."

And so they set out, casting a warning that wasn't necessary to the long-time cave-dwelling folk. Most of the prisoners were already moved out, those that couldn't move would be left behind for their fellows to find. None of the bodies of the slain men were left behind for defilement. They moved into the tunnels, hearing the roar of which Gidden and Flynn had spoken getting louder.

Suddenly, the shadows exploded from either side, attacking the column of men heading for the surface. Tenel Ka's lightsaber ignited immediately, flashing left and right, cutting them a path through the Defels. There were hundreds, falling over the column like a black wave and leaving dead or dying in their wake as they retreated.

"Run!" Jacen used the Force to project his voice. "Drop the tunnels and run!"

Bedlam.

Jacen felt something grab his foot, trying to take his balance, and he swept it aside, propelling it away with a push of the Force. He held out his hand, feeling the power flowing through his veins as he drew on it time and time again.

Flynn kicked out, sending one of the creatures sprawling as it tried to grab Vola.

Gidden grabbed handfuls of rocks and pelted the creatures time and time again as they appeared to descend with ever increasing numbers on Tenel Ka. Jacen reached out to her, bolstering her powers with his own as she whirled in a graceful, powerful dance of death and destruction. And as he fed her, she fed him back, assisting his focus.

Suddenly, as they traded energy back and forth, another presence made itself known, almost blinding in it's potential as power, raw and untrained, was added to their link.

Tenel Ka moved faster, so much so that it appeared a wall of violet had sprung up around her, shielding her from harm.

Jacen's powers were unaffected as he fed the energy straight back to its source, giving Gidden the strength to escape the Defel that had grabbed his arm, trying to drag him away from the group. Gidden sent it sprawling with a push of his hand.

Suddenly, they were on the surface, and a rumble, louder than anything they'd heard below, began under their feet. A crashing noise, a puff of smoke, and their way under the world was closed.

The bond between Jacen, Tenel Ka and Gidden faded as they each pulled away. Tenel Ka hooked her lightsaber to her belt, looking around her as if not believing the star studded sky was suddenly above her again. She made to take a step, turning to head for the palace, and her leg folded beneath her like cloth, her eyes rolling back in her head. Underneath the star lit sky, on the outskirts of the Fountain palace grounds, Tenel Ka Djo Solo, Queen Mother of Hapes, fainted.

Jacen lunged for Tenel Ka as she fell, catching her just before she hit the ground and cradling her close to his chest.

"Impossible woman," he told her affectionately, stroking her hair back from her face. She was breathing evenly, her lashes dark against the pallor of her skin. "You never know when you've had enough, Tenel Ka, never."

Her lashes fluttered. He dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead just as her eyes opened. He felt her stiffen as she took in her position. "You fainted, love. How do you feel?"

"I am-"

He placed a finger against her lips. "You're not. How do you feel, really?"

She was silent for a long minute. "I am very, very tired."

"Ten'Ka?"

She looked up as Gidden stopped beside her, his small hand reaching towards her before falling away in uncertainty.

"I am alright, Gidden."

"You sure? That was scary. Me thought someone try and kill you!"

Jacen chuckled. "No, she just doesn't know when to call it quits. She'll be ok."

"Jay-sin won't hurt Ten'Ka, right?"

Jacen looked down at his wife, smiling. "Never."

She squirmed, trying to get up, and he helped her to her feet, carefully keeping an arm around her. He knew better, exhaustion or not, to try and make her rest just yet. They still had things to finish. "Gidden."

"Yup, Jay-sin?"

"Can you find me Marh, Jeck and Gan? Verak too, if he's here."

"'course, me smart!" Gidden darted off.

Jacen caught Flynn's nod as he turned back to Tenel Ka. Flynn would keep an eye on Ta'a Chume for a minute. "Are you really just tired, Tenel Ka?"

She slanted a look at him. "I am carrying your child, Jacen Solo, is that not enough?"

His smile was faint. "More than enough reason to be tired and the best reason why you shouldn't have come after me."

She looked up at him, reaching around his waist to pull him close. "I cannot bear the thought of life without you. To mother your child alone... would be unthinkable."

He wrapped her close, resting his chin on the top of her head, and closing his eyes. "You think I don't feel the same way? I could have lost you down there, Tenel Ka. You of all people know a warrior shouldn't put themselves at risk if the risk will endanger others."

"I had to help."

He sighed. "I know. Thank you."

"You are welcome."

The silence between them lasted for only a few moments. "What are we going to do with all these men, Tenel Ka? I won't have them at the palace; even I don't like that much competition."

"They are free to do as they please. I will offer each of them one thousand credits and several of Galinore's gems as compensation."

"Very generous, Queen Mother."

She stepped back and he let her go reluctantly, noting her serious expression. "It is the right thing to do. Come. We must find the guards and put Ta'a Chume into custody."

He caught her left arm as she turned to go. "Did you mean it?"

She cocked her head at him.

"Did you mean what you said about her not being your kin anymore?"

Tenel Ka nodded once. "It will strip her of her power and influence. She will not have the resources she once had at her disposal. As it should be."

"Fair enough." Jacen released her. "I need to talk to what sect heads made it out. I'll tell them of your offer."

"Their entitlement," she corrected. "We will document them. Any man who was a slave underground will be entitled to this. I will have them decree it."

Jacen smiled. "I love you."

She simply smiled one of her rare smiles and walked away.

Jacen shook his head, unable not to return the smile, even though she couldn't see it.

"You're in a good mood."

The distinctive voice of his tunnel friend made him turn. His smile died.

All of the sect heads except Gan had made it out, and every one of them were a pile of scratches, bruises and broken bones. He could see three slings, one splint, two crutches and various other make-shift bandages between them. He was suddenly acutely aware of the sound of the wounded, their moans and muffled screams as their medicine men walked among them. He shook off the guilty feeling. Not one of the men would trade their injuries if it meant not having their freedom.

"Can I get you medical attention, Verak? Marh? Jeck?"

The three of them shook their heads. Jeck offered his hand. "You've done well, King of Hapes. I like to see a man keep his promises."

Jacen accepted the hand and shook it firmly, "Glad to help. Welcome to the surface."

"Where's your wife going?"

"To find the guards to put these women into custody."

"Oh." Jeck was silent for a moment. "So what happens now?"

Jacen chuckled. "First we find you guys medical attention. Then, once everyone's healed, Tenel Ka's offered each of you, any man who was a slave underground, one thousand credits and a couple of gems from Gallinore. They should help you get settled anywhere you want in the Consortium or out."

"Leave?" Jeck looked appalled. "Leave Hapes? Never. This is our home. Some of those who weren't born here might take you up on it, but I don't think most of us will."

Marh nodded. "Jeck's right. We can't thank you enough for the opportunity to escape that life, Jacen. You're a man of your word."

Jacen shrugged. "It was the right thing to do; I only caught the head of the beast, you guys and your sects did most of the work."

"Only the head he says!" Marh slapped Jacen on the back. "You're alright, Solo, you're alright. Thanks for the offer too, we might just take you up on that."

"It's the least we can do. Tell you what, I'll arrange to have the worst of your men taken to the palace to use our bacta tanks. Kriff, everyone can have a quick dip to help if they need it."

"Hate to sound ungrateful, but we need to start building ourselves a new life, Jacen. We should spread out; we can take care of our wounded."

"Take care of yourself, Jeck, Marh. It's been good working with you."

Handshakes were given all around before Jeck and Marh went their separate ways.

Verak held back. "I knew you'd do it, Jacen. Thank you."

Jacen clasped the warm handshake of his friend with a twinge of sadness. "I'll miss you, Verak. Good Journey."

Verak smiled. "It will be a great journey. Thank you, Jacen, we can never repay you."

Jacen watched the other man walk away as Flynn joined him. "Some adventures end when the friends you meet go their separate ways."

"Amen, my man, amen."


	5. Chapter 5

Jana sat to the side of the dual thrones for the Queen Mother and her husband, in the chair previously occupied for the consort. "This body has not yet reached a verdict. I have explicit instructions to have your verdict before the Queen Mother will appear. The fate of Ta'a Chume should have been reached months ago."

The representatives nearest Jana shifted their feet and avoided her gaze, looking instead at one another. Finally, one of the older women spoke up.

"You have no authority, young woman, who are you to dictate terms?"

Jana blinked. Challenged after only two council sessions? "I am the appointed speaker of the Queen Mother, employer of her power in her absence, and you will obey!"

The woman waved her hand. "The Queen Mother should be heading these hearings, not someone who has the political acumen of a nerf!"

Jana rose to her feet. "That is enough, Gislyn! You will either join this body in coming to a resolution or I will hold you in contempt and throw you in the holding cell."

"You and what army, _dear_?"

"Me."

A gasp filled the room as all heads turned to the side entrance where Tenel Ka stood, clad in her lizard hide armor. Her hair was wild, unkempt, her lightsaber at her belt. Her armor was scuffed from obvious use and her boots showed new notches where she'd encountered obstacles. It was not the image they were used to seeing, but she was somehow more intimidating than normal.

"Queen Mother!" Gislyn blanched. "I meant no disrespect."

"You lie." Tenel Ka moved into the room, straight towards the wayward representative who shrank back under her even gaze. "You will no longer attend these meetings; do not trouble us with your presence again."

Gislyn shook her head, "No, no, I'm an elected official-"

"Under a monarch." Tenel Ka's tone left no room for argument. "You are dismissed. Guards, take her away."

The murmuring in the house was not disguised by the woman's sudden loss of composure as she was almost dragged from the room, screaming.

Tenel Ka turned and mounted the steps to her throne, winking once at Jana before turning her solemn face to the assembly. She eyed them coolly, imposing in her warrior's armor. The representatives seemed to cower.

She raised her arm, her hand extended. "We commanded a vote. A vote of all women and men in the whole of the Consortium. There will be sixty three votes cast. The majority of the planet will be their vote."

"What's the vote to be, your majesty?"

Tenel Ka dropped her arm and looked to the side, nodding once.

A scream was heard somewhere near the entrance, followed by another, and another, and the gallery erupted in chaos as Ta'a Chume was brought forward. Her veil had been removed, and a large purple bruise, from falling down the stairs, covered the side of her face. Her clothing was elegant, but dirty and dusty, obviously trail worn. She limped, though it was almost invisible, favoring her left leg. Stun cuffs kept her hands tightly behind her back and a gag was in placed.

Tenel Ka noted which representatives were excited by the display, and which exhibited distress or outrage. She nodded to the guards on the perimeter, and each moved to stand behind an outraged or distressed representative. Her back straightened as she realized a full half of the court, perhaps more, had been on her grandmo- on Ta'a Chume's payroll. "The envoys from the following planets are to be tried for treason and will not be permitted to vote. Their planets must choose new representatives."

Tenel Ka turned to Jana and Jana, taking the hint, began to name off the representatives with guards standing behind them. Tenel Ka watched Ta'a Chume, noting that each name seemed to strike her like a physical blow. She waited until the senators had been taken into custody and out of the chamber. The remaining senators shared looks that could be easily. Were they next?

Tenel Ka finally stepped down onto the main floor. "This woman is no longer my kin. The power struggle ends here. The planets affected will choose new representatives to represent them; I will not have factions vying for power. Do not support us, and you will be treated as a traitor and tried with treason. Anyone wishing to leave will not be held as such at this time; leave if you wish to, no one here will blame you for your actions."

No one moved, and Tenel Ka was gratified to see a show of support.

"Ta'a Chume has been charged with inciting rebellion, espionage, repeated physical assault on members of the Royal family and treason. A motion was placed before this body which will go to the people. Ta'a Chume's fate will be decided by them once new representatives have been chosen. The people will choose. Inform them of this; no man is a slave any longer; any who were held against their will, as with the slave underneath this palace on Ta'a Chume's orders, will be granted one thousand credits and Galinore gems as compensation."

A gasp of shock echoed through the gallery.

Tenel Ka looked down at the woman she had called grandmother for so many years, thankful for the foresight to gag her for this; she could read the disappointment and anger in her indignant gaze. "Go now and bring my decree to your worlds. In less than a year's time Ta'a Chume's fate must be decided by the people; or I will decide for them."

Amid the stunned silence of the gallery, Tenel Ka swept out, motioning for the guard to take Ta'a Chume away. She made for the edge of the palace grounds, Jana following close behind. "I trust you were successful, Queen Mother?"

Tenel Ka didn't even look at her. "More than you."

"I stalled them like you asked."

Tenel Ka stopped, turning to look at her aid. "You did. My thanks, Jana. Come, you will have new duties."

Jana fell into steps behind her again, staring inquisitively at the Queen Mother's back. New duties? Didn't she have enough with preparing for the birth of the next Queen or King of Hapes?

Their path took them around the edge of the interior gardens and down into the ground heading towards the city. Jana stopped short, seeing a large mass of people resting on the grass. "Uh..."

Jacen walked towards them, a smile on his face. Jana noted he looked thinner, but hadn't changed otherwise. She also noted that Tenel Ka's pace increased until she was directly in front of her husband, her hand reaching out to grasp his as he pulled her close.

Jana smiled, watching as Tenel Ka placed her forehead, eyes closed, against Jacen's chest for a long minute before reluctantly stepping away. Jana shook her head, looking beyond the couple. They were really, very cute; something Tenel Ka would never stand to hear. She frowned, noting that much of the mass of people weren't moving, though a good portion was heading off the grounds and into the city.

"Did I miss something, your highness?"

Jacen looked up from the embrace he shared with Tenel Ka, "No, Jana. These are the slaves from Ta'a Chume's underground empire. Those which were abducted from our surface are going home - many have families they didn't choose to leave behind."

Jana looked thoughtful. "So the others will want to return to their home planets too?"

Jacen shrugged. "Probably. Many will choose to remain on Hapes - they don't have anything left to go back to. I offered to pay the passage for anyone wanting to return to their home planet."

Tenel Ka nodded once. "I agree. Where are Flynn and Vola?"

Jacen grinned. "Keeping Gidden company. Vola's going to need a long stay in a bacta tank, though. She's in pretty rough shape."

"Vola? Flynn? Gidden?" Jana raised her eyebrows. "Who are they exactly?"

"Friends." Tenel Ka motioned for Jacen to lead the way. "We will escort them back to the palace. Prepare chambers for three, one for a child."

"I'm already preparing one for your child," Jana protested. "And you're not due for months!"

Jacen hooked an arm around Tenel Ka's shoulders. "We're taking in one of the children she met in the caves. Oh, Gidden's a boy and Force Sensitive. Keep that in mind when picking his quarters."

Jana's jaw dropped. _Adopting_ a _male _child?! She watched them walk away, unable to speak. A male child being adopted by the royal family? She thought about it for long minutes before a smile slowly began to spread across her face. Sweeping reforms indeed, and starting right in the Royal family's house! She turned smartly, making her way back inside. First the no men as slaves rule, and a Queen Mother taking a husband, then the abductions, now the votes the people would have to make and now this! Her step was light. This was going to prove to be an interesting year indeed.

* * *

Tenel Ka returned to the chambers she shared with Jacen after checking on Gidden to ensure he'd settled into his room. She'd refused to see the medic because of her condition. Jacen hadn't liked it, but he'd agreed that there were still people in the palace what wished them harm. Medic or not, her condition couldn't be revealed until the new representative for the planets had been chosen and the voting for Ta'a Chume's fate begun.

Jacen was lying in bed, the light cover drawn up to his waist, a datapad in hand as he was going through a stack of datarods on the night table. He looked up as she entered, shutting off the power with a smile. "How is he?"

"Sleeping on the floor."

Jacen chuckled, watching her as she slowly stripped off the outer layer of her armor, leaving it haphazardly in the middle of the floor. His gaze seemed to sear her flesh as she undressed. "I seem to recall one Dathomirian princess coming to a Jedi academy years ago and stripping the mattress from the bed so she would be sleeping in a fashion suited to a warrior."

She smiled softly, dropping the last of her clothing to the ground and reach her hand out to him. "How do you remember these things?"

He grasped her fingers, feeling her tremble. Or was it his hand that shook? He didn't think it really mattered. "I remember all kinds of things about you." He pulled her closer, drawing her down onto his lap. "The workout you used to put yourself through every morning at the academy. I remember your first lightsaber, and the injury I inflicted." He caressed her left arm. "I remember holding you, here in this palace, as you finally let your grief out."

"I was very proud."

He caressed her cheek, "You were very vulnerable. If I hadn't loved you before, I would have started then. Having you turn to me, especially when I was the one to inflict such a wound... You have no idea how that made me feel, Tenel Ka."

She turned in his arms, straddling his lap. "And I felt nothing?"

"I didn't say that." He smiled at her softly. "To have you trust me after such a mistake was the gift I cherished most about you for a very long time."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "No longer?"

He chuckled. "I think having you say you would marry me, that you would entrust me to be a part of your future and the father of your - of our - children has taken its place."

She leaned closer, tilting her head to him. "Do you remember our adventures, Jacen Solo?"

He nuzzled her cheek with his nose, breathing in her scent, his hair tickling his face. "Which ones? I remember you learning to do everything you used to do with two arms, with only one."

"That is not what I meant."

He looked at her, his eyes sparkling. "Are you talking then about your surprise kiss, or perhaps the assault on the Diversity Alliance? Maybe our time in the old Alderaanian system?"

Her lips twitched. "Our childhood was not normal."

He stroked her cheek with his thumb, hooking a piece of her hair behind her ear. "No, but then I wouldn't have traded spending that time with you for a less troubled time. We've been a team for a long, long time."

She nodded wordlessly.

He examined her face. "Something wrong, Tenel Ka?"

She sighed. "How will Gidden and our child be included? I do not wish to share you, Jacen."

He laughed, pulling her off his lap and to the side, rolling until she was pinned underneath him. "I don't want to share you either, but I imagine we'll adjust. Gidden and you are good friends; was checking on him tonight such a task?"

"No."

"See? I can't imagine another child will change it all that much. We have a legion of assistants in this palace of yours-"

"ours." She corrected.

"-ours, and Jana to help. What could another child be but a blessing?"

She looked at him for a long minute before crinkle lines appeared at the edges of her eyes and she lifted her hand to cover her mouth, her eyes dancing. "Speak with your mother, Jacen Solo, before you speak of such things you do not know."

He blinked, and began to chuckle, "Touché, my love, touché."

She searched his gaze, "I have missed you, Jacen."

He enfolded her close, his mouth coming down over hers in a passionate kiss, and let the longing of the last weeks into his touch. She arched into his hands, wordlessly begging for more as he pleasured her with hand and mouth. She returned his emotions, his passion, a hundred fold.

Lying spent some hours later, their hearts beating rhythmically as one, Jacen folded her close and closed his eyes, resting her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head, smiling softly as he noted that she'd already dropped into an exhausted sleep.

Outside their bedroom, the world might not be right just yet, but Tenel Ka was back in his arms where she should be. And that was right enough for him.

* * *

Jana knocked on the door to their bedchamber early the next morning as the sun was coming over the horizon, casting the new hues of the day across the ocean. "Your majesties?"

She heard nothing through the door and frowned, knocking again. "Jacen? Tenel Ka?"

She waited for a minute, still not hearing anything, before slowly opening the door and peaking inside. Jacen and Tenel Ka were curled up together in bed, Tenel Ka's hair spread out across them like a blanket, her head resting easily on his chest. Jacen's arms were loosely wrapped around her in a protective embrace, the fatigue lines Jana had seen the previous morning beginning to fade.

The drapes were tightly closed, the room cast in a muted pre-dawn like glow. She slowly closed the door and leaned against it.

Let them sleep, she decided suddenly. She moved away, through the ante-chamber and stopped at the entrance to the suite. "Guard."

The woman turned, acknowledging the presence of the Queen Mother's personal assistant. "Yes mistress?"

"The Queen Mother and King are not to be disturbed for any reason this morning. They are to sleep themselves out, understood?"

The guard nodded and returned to her post.

Jana hummed a soft tune to herself as she placed the reports for their review on the main table, and sent an order down to the kitchen to put the breakfast for the Royal couple on the warmer for when they awoke. She was glad no one questioned her orders when it came to the care of the Royal family. Not since Jacen and Tenel Ka's arrival three months earlier had anyone dared disobey her. Tenel Ka had seen to that.

Finally, Jana left their quarters and headed down the hall.

"Ack! Mean ladies! Back, back mean womens!"

Jana blinked, hearing the shriek from up ahead and broke into a run, heading for Gidden's room. She stopped in the doorway to find the little boy backed up into a corner, his hands outstretched in front of him, warding off the guard which was trying to escort him to breakfast.

"Gidden?"

His wild eyes met hers and he shook his head. "Mean lady try and take me from Ten'Ka! Me not go!"

Jana motioned for the guard to back off. "Wait outside, I'll deal with this."

The guard left the room, taking up a post outside the door as Jana slid it shut. She turned back to the trembling child and knelt on the floor. "No one is trying to hurt you Gidden."

"You Jana?"

Jana smiled. "That's right, we met last night. I'm Tenel Ka's personal assistant."

He lowered his hands, but continued to tremble, his eyes darting to the corners of the room. "What you do again?"

"I help her when she can't be in a dozen places at once. And I'm her friend."

"Friend?" Gidden's shaking was slowly coming back under control.

Jana examined him carefully from her spot by the door. He must have been awoken by the guard and thought the worst. Poor kid. "Yes, friend. I helped her decide that Jacen was the man for her."

"Jay-sin nice man."

"It's true. Are you hungry, Gidden?"

She could hear his stomach suddenly growl, as if in response and grinned at him as he giggled once. "Can I take that as a yes?"

He nodded. "I hungry. Where Ten'Ka?"

"She's sleeping. The last weeks have been hard on her; she needs it."

Gidden took a hesitant step towards her. "Me not wake her?"

"Not yet, little one. Let's get you fed and then I'll show you the pool."

"Pool?"

Jana offered him her hand while she spoke, hiding a smile as his fingers curved trustingly around her palm. She stood, and began leading him out of the room. "Yes, pool. It's a large body of water where you can swim, and play and wash, if you want."

"Me smell bad, can I play in pool first?"

Jana burst out laughing. "You can do whatever you want, prince Gidden."

Gidden stopped suddenly, dragging her to a halt. "What prince?" he demanded, almost accusingly.

Jana crouched in front of him, searching his face. "It's the title for the male child of the current royal family. Jacen and Tenel Ka want you to be a part of their family. That would make you, Gidden, a prince."

Gidden blinked, biting his lip as he struggled to understand her. "Me not go away from Ten'Ka?"

Jana gently smoothed back his curly hair from his face. "No, Gidden, you'd be free to stay right here and help. Can you keep a secret?"

He nodded eagerly. "Me good at keeping secrets!"

She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "If you're lucky, you'll have a little brother or sister before the end of the year."

He squealed. "Really?!"

Jana straightened, taking his hand, and laughed at his enthusiastic reply. "Yes, really. Remember, it's a secret!"

"I remember!"

"Come on, then, let's go play in the pool."

Gidden skipped along side Jana all the way to the bathing room, his excited babble running a mile a minute. Jana smiled indulgently as the childish exuberance became infectious. With Gidden in the palace, things were simply going to be more and more entertaining.

* * *

Tenel Ka woke to a churning in her stomach, her throat burning with the need to... she bolted from the bed, barely making the fresher as another bout of morning sickness struck her.

She closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against the bowl. Sickness is a small price to pay for a child, she thought, but how long did it last?

"Tenel Ka?"

She looked up as Jacen's sleepy, worried query came to her from the other room. She opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't as another wave hit her. She sat helplessly in the 'fresher, her eyes closed as she knew he would come find her.

His hands slid gently around the base of her neck and lifted her hair back from her face. His thumb stroked her cheek. She leaned back, her stomach settling for a moment, feeling his legs and rested her head against his knees.

"You're a trooper, Tenel Ka. I don't know how you managed down in those tunnels with the morning sickness."

Her eyes opened as his fingers gently massaged the tenseness from her shoulders. "I did what I had to."

The sound of running water caused her to look up as he force-floated a glass to her. She accepted the glass with a faint, worn smile. "You and Jana have the same solution."

He chuckled, sliding down to the floor so that he could crouch behind her and slid his arms around her shoulders. "Jana and I have both been ill on more than one occasion. You, Queen Mother, have such a strong constitution that we have to educate you on some of the basics."

She took a mouthful, spitting it out before actually taking a sip. The coolness soothed her raw throat. "Being sick is a waste of time."

Jacen rubbed his hands on her upper arms. "You have chill-bumps, Tenel Ka. Come back to bed."

She didn't move as he got back to his feet.

"Do you still feel sick?"

She shook her head and placed her glass on the floor, before extending her hand to him. She smiled at him, almost shyly, as if uncertain of his response. "Assist me?"

Jacen returned the smile, grasping her hand and pulling her to her feet. She wrapped her arm around his waist and laid her head against his chest, closing her eyes. "Do you wish a large family, Jacen?"

He blinked, his arms around her waist. "Why do you ask?"

"We have never spoken of such things. Do you not think we should?"

He bent his head so they were cheek to cheek. "Later, when I take you for that real vacation, or maybe afterwards. We've plenty of time for that."

She pulled away a little to be able to look him in the eye. "Are you so certain? We must deal with Ta'a Chume's fate."

His smile was faint. "No, your - er, our people must do so. First they need representatives. For that, there needs to be an election campaign and an election. That will take a couple of months. You want to keep your condition a secret for as long as possible, why not a vacation?"

"And Gidden?"

Jacen grimaced. "I suppose he'd have to come with us. But I never did take you on a real honeymoon."

She reached up to stroke his cheek, "When our child had been born, Jacen, I will consider taking you up on the offer."

"Liar." He said affectionately, turning and leading her back into their bedroom. "Once the kid is here, you won't want to leave their side."

She was silent as they walked, allowing him to lead her towards their wardrobe.

"You're awful quiet. Credit for your thoughts."

She took a deep, bracing breath. "Twins."

Jacen stopped mid-stride, as if he hadn't heard that she'd said. "Pardon?"

"Twins." she repeated. "You are a twin and they run in your family. I could be carrying twins."

Jacen sucked in a sharp breath, looking down at her in shock. "I hadn't thought of that. Even worse, you could be carrying triplets or... more!"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Worse? Only if we did not have the help available to us. Do you wish a large family, Jacen?"

"I may not have much of a choice in the matter," he told her with a self-mocking smile. "Twins... would that bother you, Tenel Ka?"

"Bother?"

He shrugged uneasily. "My mom said it wasn't easy carrying twins, especially force sensitive twins."

"I have considered this and I _have_ spoken with your mother. It would not... bother me as you so put it."

He hugged her gently. "I'm glad. Twins... I can't believe I didn't think of that."

Tenel Ka eyed him seriously. "I can. You and Jaina are no longer bonded as you once were. You are no longer two separated halves, but complete beings in your own right. Why would you consider twins when your own is not as close as she once was."

His smile was sad. "You've gained wisdom, Tenel Ka, though it sure wasn't from me."

She returned a faint smile. "I have had to learn, Jacen, from many teachers. Come. We should check on our guests."

He caught her hand as she turned, snagging both of their robes. "Not before you eat something, you have to think of the baby."

"And Gidden will still be sleeping?"

Jacen chuckled. "Gidden is with Jana and enjoying his breakfast. We can see him when he's done."

She nodded once and turned, thanking him absently when he draped her robe around her shoulders.

Jacen watched her unconscious grace as she shrugged into the robe and belted it, one handed. He slipped into his own, finding his slippers by the door to their bed chamber, and followed her into the living area.


	6. Chapter 6

Breakfast was on the table, covered to keep the heat, and he held Tenel Ka's chair as she slid into it. She'd learned during their brief few months back on Hapes that he couldn't be dissuaded from common courtesies. Not that she really minded.

She noted that their morning agenda was on the desk in the far corner, but paid it no attention after the initial search. She was going to enjoy her breakfast, churning stomach or not.

Jacen pulled the covers off their glasses, nodding his appreciation. "Mmm, the cook is thinking of your condition."

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "She does not know. Jana has been ordering our drinks for breakfast since our return to allay suspicion."

"Oh."

Tenel Ka took a sip of the tea that had been brewed with her sensitive stomach in mind. "Do not look so down, my love. We lack for nothing."

Jacen smiled. "It's true. So, my lady, what do you fancy for breakfast?"

Tenel Ka looked over his shoulder. "Good morning Jana."

"My Lady, my Lord," Jana smiled. "I hope you slept well."

Jacen lifted one hand to acknowledge her presence, "Well enough. How's Gidden this morning? Sit, join us."

"I wouldn't presume..."

"We insist," Tenel Ka motioned he to a chair.

Jana slowly sank down gratefully. "Thank you. The prince is settling in well. Though, I think having women's attendants is a little strange for him."

"Frightening you mean." Tenel Ka sighed. "I should have-"

Jacen cut her off. "You should have slept exactly as we were, Tenel Ka. Gidden is fine, isn't he Jana?"

Jana grinned. "More than fine. He's found the private garden and adores the pool. I believe he'll have little trouble adapting. Though, he didn't like being waited on for breakfast."

"So don't." Jacen grinned. "We serve ourselves. Maybe we should start acting like a family; Gidden will eat with us from now on."

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow, "And when we sleep in?"

Jacen shrugged, "He can wait?"

Jana laughed briefly before coughing, unable to stop grinning. "Uh, your highness, with all due respect, children don't wait to eat. I'll have Gidden eat with me when you're both late rising. He seems comfortable with me."

Jacen met Tenel Ka's gaze, feeling his cheeks heat a little. "Good idea. So what's the plan for today, Jana?"

"I've cleared your schedule."

"Indeed?"

Jana flushed, "I thought it would be best to give you both a few days grace as you've just brought a new member to the palace and have guests. The Yuuzhan Vong... Vola, is it?"

Tenel Ka nodded. "How is she?"

"She's responding to the bacta slower than a human would, but she's responding. Your male friend hasn't left the medbay since she's been placed in the tank."

"Flynn is my cousin, Jana," Tenel Ka told her pointedly. "Vola is to be his wife. They are family."

Jana flushed again. "My apologies, I didn't know..."

"You couldn't," Jacen told her smiling. He served Tenel Ka and himself from the dishes on the table, not really looking at what was for breakfast - it was always delicious. "So how many days did you give us?" his question was asked between mouthfuls.

"A few," Jana's smile was faint as she rose to her feet. "I, however, do not have the day off. Enjoy the week; it'll take at least that long to organize campaigns for people running to represent the absentees. I've already made it known this morning that all candidates must be approved by the Queen Mother and platforms will require official sanction. So give or take a week or two."

Jacen heard the door close as Jana left, his gaze finding Tenel Ka's. "A week or two, hey?"

"Jacen, what are you thinking?"

He rose from his chair, coming towards her, his eyes holding a spark of mischief.

"Jacen..." her voice held a warning note as she moved to push back her chair.

Jacen lunged for her, pinning her in the chair with a playful leer. "A week, my queen, whatever shall we do with ourselves?"

She stared at his face for a long moment before her own eyes began to sparkle with delight. "We shall think of something, my love. You _do_ owe me that vacation."

Jacen leaned forward to gently nuzzle her neck, pushing her chin upwards so he could nip at the soft skin of her throat. She shivered in her chair, her eyes half-closing, "Jacen..."

"Ten'Ka!"

Jacen closed his eyes, his head dropping so that his forehead was on her collar bone, a soft groan being strangled in his throat.

Kids had awful timing.

A tug on his sleeve brought his head around, and he found himself looking straight into Gidden's solemn gaze. "Jay-sin not hurting Ten'Ka?"

"He is not." Tenel Ka assured him, even though the question wasn't directed her way. "Did you sleep well, Gidden?"

Gidden made a face at her as Jacen rose to his feet and went back to his chair. Gidden helped himself to the chair Jana had vacated as he spoke, eyeing the food on the table. "I sleep okay. Mean ladies come and try to get me. Jana nice lady. She come help."

Jacen chuckled. "Jana's good at that."

"She say me prince. What prince?"

Jacen sent an amused look Tenel Ka's way. Jana and Gidden had certainly hit it off well. Tenel Ka's lips twitched in response. "A Prince is the son of the current Queen and King." She told him, motioning first to herself and then to Jacen. "We are the Queen and King. You are going to be our son. If you do not object?"

Gidden's eyes crossed and he shook his head, falling off his chair.

Jacen half-rose to make sure the boy was alright, but Gidden rebounded, coming to his feet quickly and retaking the chair without so much as a blink. Jacen shook his head as Gidden reached for a piece of round-fruit, as if the incident had never happened. "Ten'Ka be mommy?"

Jacen almost choked on his caf, coughing to swallow it. Tenel Ka nodded, shooting Jacen an amused look. "Fact. And Jacen would be father."

Gidden clapped, his smile nearly taking in his ears. "New mommy and daddy!"

Jacen chuckled, "Works for me. Small bites Gidden, it's too big to eat all at once."

Gidden made a face at him, sticking his tongue out before trying to shove the whole fruit into his mouth again. Tenel Ka plucked the fruit from Gidden's hand. Gidden let out a cry of dismay. "Hey! Mine!"

"You must listen to Jacen, Gidden, if you want to be our son."

Gidden pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Me want fruit."

"You can have the fruit,"

Gidden's face brightened for a moment before becoming suspicious. "What catch?"

"Apologize to Jacen."

Gidden sighed theatrically. "Me sorry, Jay-sin."

Tenel Ka held out the fruit to Gidden, lifting it out of his reach when he made to snatch it. "Manners, prince."

Gidden made a face at her, scrunching up his nose and mouth. "Me no like being prince."

"It's not so bad," Jacen told him with a smile. "It's better than living alone in a tunnel, isn't it?"

Gidden looked at him sullenly. "I suppose."

Jacen ruffled Gidden's blonde hair. "Cheer up, kid. Saying please and thank you are niceties that even non-royals need to use. Once we're done eating, how about we find out what else you can do with the Force."

"Games?" Gidden brightened again.

Jacen idly wondered if all children were subject to such chaotic swings of mood and then found himself hoping Tenel Ka wasn't carrying twins. One child at a time was hard enough to deal with. "Games, yes."

"Yippee!" Gidden beamed. "Fruit, please, Ten'Ka." He held out his hand, waiting for it to be returned.

Tenel Ka nodded. "Good, Gidden."

Gidden accepted the fruit and nibbled on it while they finished their breakfast, content to listen as Jacen and Tenel Ka discussed what they were going to test him on and when they would need to see Flynn and Vola. Gidden couldn't help but wonder if all days would be as strange as this one, but he was game to find out.

* * *

Jacen settled himself on the mat in Tenel Ka's personal training center, and motioned for Gidden to sit.

Gidden eyed him cautiously. "What we doing?"

"Sit," Jacen waved a hand at him, "you're going to show me what kinds of power you can use."

"What you mean, Jay-sin?"

Jacen stretched his arms out behind him, leaning back. "You're Force sensitive, like Tenel Ka and I. We'd like to know what else you can do besides illusions, mind control tricks and enhancements, if anything."

Gidden looked confused. "What you want me to do?"

Jacen straightened. "Take up this position."

Gidden looked at him for a long minute before shrugging and mimicking Jacen's posture, his back straight. "Now what?"

"Close your eyes."

Gidden complied.

"What do you feel, son?"

Gidden frowned. "Mat is soft, like bed."

Jacen grinned. "No, no, what do you feel around you, in the air, in the palace."

Gidden's brow furrowed in concentration. "Mean lady still in palace. She not happy, want to make Jay-sin and Ten'Ka hurt."

"Good."

Gidden's eyes popped open wide. "Good? How mean lady, good?"

"No," Jacen shook his head. "Not Ta'a Chume. Good, as in, I'm proud of you for being able to sense that; it's part of the exercise."

"Oh."

"Close your eyes, Gidden."

Gidden snapped his eyes shut, peaking through the lids once before adopting an innocent expression.

Jacen took a deep breath, "Ok, what else do you sense?"

"Nuffin'."

"Take a deep breath, focus on your heart beat and stretch out with the Force, Gidden. Feel the world around you, feel it penetrate you, revitalize you, listen to what it says..."

There were long moments of silence as Jacen felt the boy open himself to the Force, reaching out to touch it, relaxed completely in the presence of another male.

Gidden gasped suddenly, nearly falling over as his eyes popped open again. "Yikes!"

Jacen reached out to steady the boy, "What did you see?"

Gidden blinked. "Baby."

"Oh?"

Gidden nodded vigorously. "Baby, Ten'Ka holding her."

"Her?"

Gidden nodded again. "You holding her too." He frowned. "Can't both hold one baby, right?"

"Right. What else did you see?"

Gidden grinned. "Me holding baby."

"Did you like that?"

"Yup! Me be good older brother. Little brother learn much, like Force stuff and girls bad."

Jacen stared at the boy as he closed his eyes again, feeling as if he'd been sucker punched. Twins? Gidden had seen a boy and a girl, and referenced both. He took a deep breath as he felt Gidden slip back into the Force. It was possible Gidden was seeing a possible future, where he and Tenel Ka had more than one child eventually. He pushed the thought away. He'd have to speak to her about getting examined; it was still too soon to tell if she was carrying more than one baby through the Force.

"Jay-sin?"

Jacen looked up, realizing he'd zoned out as his pupil was attempting to learn. "Sorry, Gidden, what's up?"

Gidden's face was screwed up in a mask of concentration. "Who A'kin?"

"A'kin?" Jacen blinked. "You mean, Anakin?"

Gidden nodded.

"He's my younger brother."

"Oh. Who Kyp?"

"Kyp Durron?" Jacen's eyebrows rose. "He's a Jedi Master, one of the new council."

"Oh." Gidden bit his lip. "Who Ben?"

"Ben is my cousin... What did you see, Gidden?"

"Ben hurt Kyp and A'kin." Gidden frowned.

"Ben is still a toddler, Gidden. He's not capable of hurting anyone."

"But he did!" Gidden's eyes widened. "He got saber like you and hurt Kyp. He me age."

"And how old is that?"

"Seven." Gidden winked at Jacen. "Good age."

"Indeed." Jacen reviewed what Gidden had told him quickly. Ben was still a youngster, incapable of using a lightsaber, regardless of his own exploits as a child. Uncle Luke wouldn't let Ben have a lightsaber, so how would he get it? He pushed the thought away. He'd send a note off to his uncle and aunt later, with the obscure information and speak about Gidden. "What else have you seen Gidden?"

"Me see pretty girl." Gidden cocked his head to the side. "She look like Ten'Ka."

"Your age?"

Gidden nodded eagerly. "Me not same age as now, though. Girl have hair like Jay-sin, eyes like Ten'Ka."

Jacen felt the air whoosh from his lungs. "I think I've - we've had enough for today, Gidden. Practice your meditations, alright, but know that what you see isn't always a certainty. The Future is always in motion."

Gidden bounded to his feet. "Me play in pool?"

"If you like, but bring a buddy."

Gidden darted off, squealing in delight. "Me find Jana!"

Jacen closed his eyes as he lay back on the mat, taking a deep breath. Gidden had seen a girl with brown hair and gray eyes that couldn't be anyone but his and Tenel Ka's daughter. But was she to be born this time, or was she a future child who hadn't yet been conceived. Gidden had envisioned himself holding a boy and both Jacen and Tenel Ka holding girls. The same girl? Two different girls? Triplets?

Jacen opened his eyes and pushed himself to his feet. Twins would be difficult enough, but triplets? He shook his head, pushing off the thought. Until he confirmed that Tenel Ka was carrying more than one child, he would limit his thoughts; he didn't need to invite trouble.

Being responsible for one unborn life at a time was hard enough. He wasn't sure he could handle three.

* * *

Tenel Ka watched the main square in front of the Fountain Palace from a window in their suites. A queue had been set up to take down the names of those men who had been forced into slavery underground. Many of them bore the wounds of the battle the day before, but bore them proudly. She was satisfied to see they wore their battle scars with dignity; they'd earned the right.

She turned away from the window and collected a blanket from the end of the bed before slipping into her half-boots. She made her way towards the med-bay, ignoring the presence of the guards as she walked. She didn't like the security, would have foregone the necessity if she could have, but it was a fact of life that the Hapan Royal family, if for no other reason that Ta'a Chume, had many enemies. Tenel Ka hoped those enemies would be converted into allies once Ta'a Chume's fate had been decided. Until then, she would endure the intrusion.

The med-bay opened up before her, the door sliding back automatically, and she stepped inside.

Vola was hooked up to a private bacta tank, held in a side enclosure with a bench and chair for visitors. Tenel Ka found Flynn leaning against the side of the bacta tank, his eyes closed, snoring quietly. She shook her head, draping the blanket she'd brought around him. The floor had to be cold.

Flynn stirred at the touch of the soft fabric, snorting once before he opened his eyes a fraction. They were red, an indicator he hadn't slept well, and blurred. "Huh? Who'sere?"

Tenel Ka crouched in front of him. "Cousin."

Flynn's eyes closed and he groaned. "Tenel Ka, ouch, man your floors need work."

"That is why there are benches."

He shifted, wincing as the base of the bacta tank dug into his spine, and squinted at her. "Figures. What'sup?"

"Are you well?"

Flynn groaned and rolled away from the tank, Tenel Ka giving him room to stand. He threw the blanket on the nearby bench and stretched, his body popping and cracking in over a dozen different placed.

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow at him.

Flynn smothered a yawn with one hand and shrugged. "Good enough, with Vola in the tank. A shame the Yuuzhan Vong don't do as well as we do in bacta."

"Fact. Slow or not, she will recover."

Flynn looked back to the woman floating in the healing fluid and sighed, placing a hand on the tank. "I sure hope so. How's the little man this morning?"

She cocked her head at him, not quite understanding whom he was referring too.

"Gidden." Flynn grinned.

"Jacen has taken him for training."

"I've got a question for ya."

"Ask."

"Think I could call you T.K. for short? You know, a family thing?"

"T.K.?" She shook her head. "My name-"

"-is Tenel Ka, I know, I know, we've been through this before, remember? I just thought maybe you'd give me a familial privilege is all. Worth a shot, ya kow?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "As you say. Have you eaten, cousin?"

"Nah," Flynn waved one hand in dismissal and sagged down on the bench, his gaze on the unconscious Vola. "I wouldn't be able to if I tried. Too worried, know what I mean?"

"Fact. Also fact, worry will not help her."

Flynn sighed. "That doesn't help. Wouldn't you worry if Jacen was in the same position, I mean, he's your main squeeze and all."

"Main... squeeze?" Tenel Ka echoed the odd comment, her lips twitching. "I have not heard that... term before."

"Your lover, your husband, your one and only." Flynn smiled tiredly at her. "Sorry, cuz, I'm pretty bagged."

"Perhaps sleep will help?"

"Not if I have to leave here."

"I did not say you would."

Flynn blinked a couple of times, trying to catch her meaning. "I don't follow; I told you, I'm pretty bagged. What gives?"

Tenel Ka pressed a button on the wall near the head of the bench and a section of the wall pulled back, causing Flynn to jump up and away in surprise. He watched, almost uncomprehendingly, as a cot for a single person slid out over the bench and covered it, a light blanket and pillow included. He stared at it for a long minute.

"Why was I sleeping on the floor again?"

"You did not ask. Sleep well cousin, I will speak with the cook about sending you food."

Flynn smothered a yawn as she was leaving. "Thanks, Tenel Ka, sorry to be such lousy guests."

She stopped in the doorway, looking back over her shoulder. "I am the... lousy hostess. My guests should not be abused in such a manner. The apologies are mine. Rest; we will discuss it later."

He nodded gratefully before sinking down onto the bed, asleep before he hit the pillow.

Tenel Ka heard him begin to snore and shook her head. Yet one more atrocity her grand... Ta'a Chume would have to pay for. One more, to an ever growing list.

She stepped from the med bay and headed for her chambers. A good workout would solve the problem, or perhaps a swim. The day was yet young and she wasn't going to let Ta'a Chume's schemes, past or present, ruin it. There would be time enough for that later. For the moment, she was going to go join her husband and their adopted son and spend some quality time. Who knew, maybe Jacen would be up for a sparring match.

* * *

Jacen was quiet for most of the day, wrapped in his own thoughts, and Tenel Ka sensed his need to think on his own. Instead, she found Gidden and Jana and joined them in the pool.

Gidden was enthralled with the fact that Tenel Ka could swim circles around him with only one arm. He begged her for lessons and soon, Jana on the side lines, they were splashing and playing like seals. Gidden's laughter was infectious, and Jana swore she saw Tenel Ka's lips kick into a small smile more than once.

Jacen spent most of the day in seclusion, meditating on what Gidden had told him. He was haunted by the image of the young girl Gidden had described and the comment about Ben Skywalker.

Could Ben turn to the point of harming Anakin and Kyp, two of the most powerful Jedi he'd ever worked with? Especially at such a young age, was it possible?

Evening came, and Jacen found his way to the comm. He had to let his aunt and uncle know about the possibility of Ben becoming dangerous. But what if his message was the cause of such a danger? He made a face at the vid-screen. Always dilemmas the Force.

He supposed the better question was could he live with himself knowing of the possibility and not tell anyone?

Jacen frowned. Of course he couldn't. If Anakin died again, or if Ben harmed Kyp by some fluke, he'd never forgive himself.

So he chose.

The message was text only and vague, but stated a vision a Force talented boy had seen was regarding Ben at the age of seven and the possibility of an accident or deliberate action to cause harm to others. Knowing his uncle wouldn't ask too many questions, Jacen didn't identify Gidden, only stated he seemed to have found another of Corran's ilk.

The message was sent shortly and Jacen sat back, inhaling deeply, feeling part of the weight on his shoulders lift. The thought of the vision must have been more disturbing than he'd first realized. He let the feeling slide away. It was out of his hands now, and the day indicated in the vision was years away. So was the other vision, the little girl, but Jacen couldn't help but feel the eerie fingers of premonition sliding down his spine. His daughter would have brown hair and gray eyes and probably be the spitting image of her mother.

He smiled faintly. A daughter. But was she _this _child? He couldn't be certain, and neither could Tenel Ka, not until she was a few months further along. He sighed. The last question was going to be Force potential, he supposed. While he wouldn't care if his children could use the Force, he knew his uncle would be disappointed. Luke Skywalker was certain the Jedi needed to increase their numbers and ensure their lineage so the time of the Empire never happened again.

Jacen couldn't help but feel a lot of his uncle's ideas were wrong, but the idea of a next generation was certainly appealing.

"Why Jay-sin smile, Ten'Ka?"

"He is happy to see us."

Jacen looked up with a jerk, turning to find Gidden, his hair still wet from his swim, standing next to Tenel Ka. Her hair was draped around her like a red-gold halo, highlights of burgundy standing out in its semi-dry state. Jacen smiled. "I'll say. What have you two been doing all day?"

"We play in pool!" Gidden told him excitedly, bouncing over and climbing into Jacen's lap. He moved his hands around like fish. "Me go this way, and Ten'Ka chase. It fun, does Jay-sin swim?"

Jacen chuckled, looking over Gidden's head to meet Tenel Ka's gaze. "What do you think Tenel Ka, does Jacen's swim?"

She arched an eyebrow. "This is a fact; Jacen is an excellent swimmer."

"Yay! Jay-sin come next time!"

He chuckled and ruffled the child's hair. "Alright, I'll come swim next time."

Gidden nodded once, as if that settled the matter, before leaping off Jacen's lap. "Me go change, eat soon, Ten'Ka?"

"Dinner is waiting, Gidden. Be quick."

Gidden darted from the room and Tenel Ka took his place, sliding into Jacen's lap as she searched his face. "Are you well?"

Jacen sighed, knowing his worry and concern had to be showing. "I'm doing alright, Tenel Ka, but Gidden threw me for a loop today in training. I wasn't prepared for what he had to say."

She arched an eyebrow in inquiry.

Jacen smiled faintly. "He named Ben Skywalker as a child of his own age, which is seven by the way, as harming Kyp Durron and Anakin. I just sent a message to Luke and Mara as a semi-warning. I know the future is always in motion but fore-warned is fore-armed."

"That is not all."

"You always could read me like a book," he kissed her gently. "He also spoke of seeing a pretty girl of seven years with gray eyes and brown, curly hair, like mine."

"Our child is a girl?"

Jacen made a face. "I'm not certain if he means this child or perhaps a future child. I didn't ask and I don't think he'd know. He did make a comment about holding a baby boy, you holding a baby girl and me holding a baby girl. What I don't know is if it's all at once, or at different times."

"Single-handedly populate Hapes with Jedi?"

Jacen laughed. "Perhaps. That's another thing, even though we're both Force Sensitive, there's no guarantee that our children will be. What if we had, I don't know... say a dozen kids and the middle one couldn't use the Force. How would they deal with it?"

Tenel Ka placed her hand against hic cheek. "Do not borrow trouble, my love. In a month or so we will know if I carry more than one child."

Jacen's hand slipped to her slightly rounded belly, a feeling of peace spreading through him. She was right. He rubbed gently, meeting her gaze, and was gratified to see a soft smile on her lips, her eyes glowing at his touch. He leaned in and gently kissed her again. "You're right, Tenel Ka."

"Fact. Come. We must dress for dinner."

"We?"

She arched an eyebrow at him. "I would like your company."

Jacen blinked once and didn't protest when she took him by the hand and led him to their bed chamber.


	7. Chapter 7

The following morning, Tenel Ka joined Gidden and Jana in the pool for an early morning swim. Jacen headed for the med-bay. After an amusing dinner of attempting to teach a reluctant Gidden manners and proper speech, he'd slept fitfully. His brain continued to conjure images of the brown haired, gray-eyed girl Gidden had described, and while they weren't Force visions, he couldn't help but feel he was looking at the future.

Maybe he was just imagining things, but he needed some perspective. And that was in short supply with the idea of becoming a parent still so new.

Flynn was where Tenel Ka had left him the previous day. Curled up on the make-shift bed, his head pillowed on one arm, the other over his eyes to keep out the light.

Vola floated in the tank, and Jacen could see that, bacta or not, her recovery would be a long one. He sighed softly. He could try and help her, but he wanted permission before doing so. Friend or not, his Vong-sense was invasive.

"Flynn."

The younger man snorted, tossing his head once before settling back into sleep.

"Flynn."

Flynn rolled, but went right over the edge, hitting the floor with a thump. "Huh, wha-?"

Jacen chuckled. "'Morning,"

"Jacen, my man, how nice of you to show up."

"Sorry, I've had a lot on my mind."

Flynn pushed himself to his feet, scratching his head as he dropped his covers on the bed. "No worries. How's Tenel Ka doin' this morning?"

"She's fine. How's Vola?"

Flynn's face darkened, as his gaze went to his fiancée. She was still floating serenely in the bacta tank, her dark hair forming a halo around her body, but her wounds weren't must more healed than the day before. He sighed. "She doesn't look much better yet, but I'm sure she'll get there."

"That's what you get for letting your heart choose, Flynn," Jacen teased gently. "Can I try to help?"

Flynn eyed Jacen thoughtfully. "And do what?"

"You don't remember what happened on Yuuzhan'tar when Vola hit that bank wrong?" Jacen smiled slightly. "I can try to heal her, Flynn, at least partially, to get her out of here. I think the bacta might be interfering with her natural healing abilities, but I'd have to get inside her skin to see. Yuuzhan Vong are built so differently..." Jacen shook his head. "The only way to know is to look."

Flynn looked at Vola and nodded once. "Do it, man. I want her out of here; these medics are a pain in the-"

"Easy, Flynn," Jacen cut him off, guiding him back to the bed. "Relax, ok? Have you eaten anything this morning?"

"Nah, I'm not really hungry, ya know?"

"I understand. Then sit and relax for a minute. I don't know how long this will take."

Jacen settled on the floor beside the bacta tank and closed his eyes, placing his palms against the plexi-glass and stretching out to find the vong-sense that had been so unused of late. He felt his grasp on the Force dwindle as he opened himself to the alien sense.

* * *

Gidden was climbing out of the pool when suddenly he froze and let out a wail. "Jay-sin!"

Tenel Ka looked up from her discussion with Jana, feeling Jacen's Force presence disappearing, feeling the withdrawal as he stretched out to his unique abilities. She'd known he'd meant to help Vola this morning; only neither of them had expected Gidden to react. She watched as Gidden fell back into the pool thrashing.

Without thinking, she rose to her feet and dove into the pool, going straight for the child.

Gidden's eyes were wide, staring, and he calmed the moment she wrapped her arm around him. With a kick of her powerful legs, they broke the surface, Gidden coughing up water.

Tenel Ka pushed for the edge and gratefully accepted Jana's help to pull Gidden from the pool. She pushed herself to the edge and out, settling beside the shivering child.

Jana collected their towels and quickly bundled Gidden in his and her own, dropping Tenel Ka's around her shoulders.

Tenel Ka placed her hand on Gidden's forehead. "Gidden?"

His eyes were glassy, glazed, as they turned towards her.

"Jacen is alright."

Gidden's lower lip trembled. "Jay-sin gone." His voice was no more than a whisper.

Tenel Ka slid her arm under him and pulled him into a sitting position in her lap. Gidden curled, his head on her chest, his arms wrapped as far as they would go around her waist. He was trembling violently and she wrapped her right arm around him tightly, using the stump of her left to balance him. Gidden didn't seem to notice and Tenel Ka could see tears sliding silently down his blotched cheeks.

"Gidden."

He didn't move.

Tenel Ka softened her tone, hoping she was doing the right thing to help the child. "Gidden."

He looked up slowly, biting his lip. She lifted her hand to wipe away his tears, balancing him precariously. "Jacen is alright. He is with Flynn and Vola trying to help."

"Jay-sin gone," Gidden insisted, new tears welling in his eyes. "No more glow."

Tenel Ka looked to Jana, a silent plea in her eyes. There had been few times in her life she'd been clueless as to what needed to be done. She didn't know what else to do, and the feeling was awful.

Jana crouched by Tenel Ka and Gidden, taking the boy gently from Tenel Ka'a arms and folding him close. "Shhh, it's alright, Gidden."

Gidden buried his face in Jana's neck and began to cry, his body shaking more violently than before.

Tenel Ka rose to her feet, her stomach in knots. "Cease."

Jana blinked, shaking her head in silent communication. Her eyes told the Queen Mother not to push yet. But Tenel Ka didn't heed her warning.

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow as Gidden looked at her, his face tear stained. "Jacen is not dead. We will go see him."

Gidden turned his face back into Jana's shoulder. "Why Ten'Ka deny Jay-sin gone, Jana?"

Jana brushed the soft curls off Gidden's forehead where they were beginning to dry. "Because he's not dead, little one. Tenel Ka wouldn't lie to you or to me. Do you want to see if she's right?"

Gidden nodded, sniffling. "Me don't want Jay-sin gone."

Jana gently stroked his hair. "That's my big boy. Come on, we'll all go together to find Jacen."

Gidden reached for Tenel Ka's hand, keeping Jana's firmly in the other, as he was put back on his feet. Tenel Ka shrugged into her robe and belted it before taking his hand. "Jana is correct. Trust me, Gidden."

"But, Ten'Ka, I _feel_ Jay-sin go!"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "Come, Gidden. Jana. We will go see my cousin and Jacen in the medical bay."

Gidden tears had dried, but his face reflected his doubt. "I come. I help Ten'Ka if Jay-sin really gone."

"And what a help you'd be," Jana assured him, sharing a look with Tenel Ka.

The Queen Mother of Hapes simply shook her head once before leading the way towards the medbay.

* * *

Jacen was lost in the Yuuzhan Vong physiology, his eyes closed, his hands beginning to sweat on the slick surface from his exertions.

Flynn sat watching, giving the nod to the medical droids to let the bacta fluid drain slowly as Jacen's hands jerked on the glass.

Vola twitched, her face twisted in a grimace of pain, her limbs shuddering, under the onslaught of energy.

The bacta fluid stopped draining at half and Jacen sat back, half-opening his eyes as Vola was pulled from the tank and carefully dried. He kept in close contact with her, manipulating the smaller injuries even as she was patted down. Flynn took her from the arms of the medical droid and placed her gently on the bed.

Jacen pivoted on the balls of his feet, turning to gently place his hands on her forearm. She twitched under his touch, moaning softly.

Flynn grasped the hand Jacen wasn't, murmuring to her reassuringly.

Jacen heard Flynn in the back of his mind, but paid no attention. Vola's injuries had been slowed in the bacta, and now, with the clear Hapan air getting to them, he could feel her healing accelerate slightly. He focused, his eyes half-closed, mending the bone and tissues which should have mended in the tank.

A noise near the door had Flynn looking up, but Jacen was focused, determined to set straight the damage caused by Ta'a Chume. He didn't hear the door open, or sense the presence behind him.

Jacen was propelled forward and to the side, hitting the ground with a wet sounding smack as a small body hit him at a full run. Still in his healing trance, he didn't feel it. He didn't feel the moisture on his cheek, or the small arms tight around his neck.

The small voice chanting his name finally registered and he was jerked out of his Vong sense by the very pressing need to breathe.

"Jay-sin! Jay-sin!"

Jacen's hands went to the arms clamped tightly around his neck, and pulled.

"Jay-sin live!"

Jana's laughter indicated to Jacen who had brought the child to the medbay. He gasped for breath. "I... won't live much longer... if you don't let go... Gidden."

Gidden shrieked in surprise and the tension around his neck suddenly vanished. Jacen closed his eyes, feeling his heart pounding in his head.

A cool, familiar hand brushed the hair away from his forehead. "He will live."

He chuckled, but it turned into a brief, violent cough. "I'd better, or you'd have something to say I'm sure.

"Fact."

Jacen smiled and opened his eyes. Gidden's face was no more than six inches away, his blue eyes looking worriedly into Jacen's face.

Jacen jerked away in surprise only to bang his head on the bottom of the bacta tank, causing his eyes to cross and his head to pound.

Gidden grabbed him, putting Jacen's head in his lap. "Jay-sin be okay?"

Jacen groaned, seeing spots. "I feel like I've been run over by a speeder. Anyone grab the make and model?"

Tenel Ka's throaty chuckle brought his head up, his eyes sparkling by her sudden good humor. "I have to be wounded to make you laugh?"

She arched an eyebrow, her lips tilted in a slight smile. "You will live.

Jacen dropped his head back to Gidden's lap, grinning. Gidden brushed the hair off Jacen's forehead. "Jay-sin have bump. Ouchy?"

"Very. What hit me?"

Gidden smiled toothily, "Me."

Jacen closed his eyes briefly. "Care to explain why, kiddo?"

Gidden shrugged, and Jacen felt it thought his neck and shoulders. "Me happy Jay-sin fine. You no glow."

Jacen slitted his eyes as Tenel Ka crouched next to them, her hand flat on the ground next to his shoulder. "Gidden felt you pull away from the Force."

Jacen slowly digested the comment before accepting their help in sitting up.

Jana waved away the medical droid that had come to investigate, going to sit with Flynn and Vola, the Yuuzhan Vong not having moved since her exit from the bacta tank.

Jacen's gaze moved from Tenel Ka's slightly concerned gray orbs to Gidden's clear, excited blue. "I didn't glow?"

Gidden nodded vigorously. "You lose glow! Become dark."

Jacen leaned against the bacta tank, his head pounding as Gidden scooted to sit cross legged beside him. Jacen pushed the pain away, wondering why he was suddenly feeling it when hadn't been affecting him for more than a year. "How do you know that, son?"

Gidden's face twisted into a mask of confused concentration. "Me swim with Ten'Ka and Jana and feel Jay-sin glow. Me swim, and suddenly, you no glow! Poof, gone, like smoke!"

Jacen's smile was faint. "Do I glow now?"

Gidden nodded. "Yup, yup. Very, very bright. Not bright as Ten'Ka, but bright."

"Oh?"

Gidden glanced at Tenel Ka shyly. "She have baby; glow brighter."

Tenel Ka didn't protest as Jacen reached over to pull her out of her crouch and directly into his lap.

"The kid's right, you know." He confided to her softly, gently kissing her cheek. "You really _do_ glow."

She opened her mouth to reply, but Gidden continued, cutting off whatever she'd been going to say.

"Jay-sin glow now, but not before. Why no glow?"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow at Jacen, curious to see how he would answer the question.

Jacen looked from Gidden to Jana, and finally met Flynn's gaze. He could see the younger man was still concerned about his fiancée, their healing session having been interrupted. His gaze came back to Gidden. "If I show you why I don't glow, do you promise not to worry?"

Gidden looked from Tenel Ka to Jacen. "Promise."

Tenel Ka rose to her feet, assisting Jacen's to his, before extending her hand to Gidden. Gidden grasped hers tightly as she pulled them back to the door.

Jacen took a deep breath, turning to Flynn. "How is she?"

Flynn was pale. "Doesn't look good, man. She'd started to heal but now it looks like its reversing. Can you stop it?"

Jacen looked back at Gidden. "If I'm uninterrupted, yes."

Gidden didn't seem to notice the look, simply watched, his eyes wide, as Jacen sat on the bed beside Vola.

* * *

"Ten'Ka?"

"Yes?"

"Why Jay-sin helping lady?"

"She is our friend." Tenel Ka crouched so their low voices wouldn't interrupt Jacen as she felt his Force presence slipping away again. "You would help your friends, yes?"

Gidden nodded, and she could feel him suddenly shaking as Jacen's Force presence disappeared completely. Gidden paled, but his gaze remained on Jacen, watching as the Jedi's hands moved down Vola's broken arm, the tissue twisting under his touch.

"What Jay-sin doing?"

Tenel Ka glanced at her mate. "He is healing Vola."

"How?"

Tenel Ka turned the question over his her mind as Vola's healing was accelerated, her skin rippling as the internal injuries were repaired at an un-natural rate.

"Ten'Ka?"

"I do not know how to answer your question, Gidden." Her admission was soft. "Jacen has spent much time with Vola's people. They... did things to him which allow him to help her now. It is... another kind of sense."

"Like the glow?"

"It is called the Force." She corrected him absently, her gaze on Vola's still form. "You are correct, Gidden. It is like the Force."

Gidden swallowed hard. "Why Jay-sin no glow, then? Same thing, right?"

Tenel Ka shook her head once. "No. Look at Vola. Does she glow?"

Gidden concentrated on Jacen's patient, biting his lip for a long minute before shaking his head. "Vola no glow."

"Vola has never had a glow." Tenel Ka corrected him. "Yuuzhan Vong do not exist in the Force; we cannot sense them."

"So how Jay-sin help?"

Tenel Ka gently strokes his curls back from his forehead. "Jacen can connect with them on their own level. Another level of the Force where they do exist; it is a gift."

"Oh."

They were both silent, watching as Jacen focused on fixing the damage Ta'a Chume had inflicted.

Gidden finally turned to meet Tenel Ka's gaze. "Why?"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "Why, what?"

"Why?" Gidden waved at Jacen.

"I do not understand your question."

Gidden made a face. "Why Jay-sin have gift?"

"I will let him answer your question, young one," Tenel Ka told him gently. "It is not my place to say."

"Why?"

"For the same reasons you will get to tell your brother or sister about how you came to live with Jacen and I," she told him quietly, her gaze on her husband. "It is your story to tell."

"Me tell stories?"

She nodded once. "Fact. You will tell good stories."

Gidden was quiet as Jacen continued to work on Vola, his gaze drifting from the man who was quickly becoming his father figure to their friends. Flynn's face was covered in a sheen of sweat, his fingers working worriedly over the knuckles of Vola's hand. Jana stood off to the side, un-intrusive. She stood only for a few minutes before taking her leave without saying anything.

Gidden watched her go before turning his attention back to the Yuuzhan Vong lying on the table. He'd heard of them, in frightful whispers, from other men living in the caves. They spoke of horribly mutilated faces and bodies, tattoos, shorn heads, and in many cases, missing limbs.

Yet, Gidden couldn't see any of these on this one. He wondered if she was different; like a different color of human, but for an alien.

"Ten'Ka?"

"Yes?"

"Why Vola different?"

"Explain."

"Huh?"

"Explain what you mean by different."

"Oh..." He twisted his fingers together, casting a cautious look at Flynn before saying in a stage whisper, "She don't have scars. No colors on skin. Me hear stories, bad stories. She no look like that."

Flynn looked over as Gidden finished his question and Gidden's eyes widened in sudden fear. "Eep!" The boy hid behind Tenel Ka, peeking cautiously at Flynn. "He no like!"

Tenel Ka met her cousin's gaze, and noted he seemed amused, in a deeply exhausted kind of way. She grabbed Gidden by the hand and firmly pulled him forward. "Flynn, are you upset by the question?"

Flynn shrugged. "Vola wouldn't be - why should I?"

"But, you her man." Gidden was confused, his face scrunching up. "Me not say nice things."

Flynn shrugged again. "Relax, little man, we've both heard worse. Asking why she doesn't have scars ain't what I would call insulting."

"Oh."

Jacen suddenly sat away from Vola, his skin slightly ashen, his eyes closed. He was breathing easy, but his vitality seemed to have drained away. Tenel Ka slid forward, taking Jacen in her arms and easing him down into her lap as his presence returned quickly through the Force.

Gidden crawled over, his eyes worried. "Jay-sin hurt?"

Tenel Ka gently brushed Jacen's bangs off his face, feeling the self-satisfaction he didn't try to hide. "He is well."

"I'm alright," Jacen told Gidden at the same time as Tenel Ka. His eyes opened, and she could see a sparkle in them even though his skin was almost gray in color. Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow at him.

Jacen smiled faintly. "Vola will be fine, I'm just a little tired, is all. Gidden, maybe you and Tenel Ka should do a practice meditation session."

Gidden made a face. "Med'tation no fun."

"Sparring session?"

"What'sat?"

Tenel Ka poked Jacen in the shoulder. "Rest, my love. I will occupy Gidden."

"But, Ten'Ka, what spar'ing?"

"Friendly Combat."

"Whee!" Gidden pushed to his feet. "Me help, Jay-sin 'fore spar'ing?"

Jacen accepted the eagerly outstretched hand, feeling Tenel Ka's pushing firmly on his back. He sat himself up, pretending to use Gidden's assistance, and then was jerked painfully to his feet, causing his head to spin.

Tenel Ka supported him on one side, casting a look down at Vola. The Yuuzhan Vong's healthy skin tone had returned, her arms no longer showing the bumps of broken bones, her breathing easy. She looked healthy again, but as if she were sleeping so deeply nothing could wake her. Flynn met Tenel Ka's gaze and smiled relieved. She nodded to him before slipping under Jacen's arm and assisting him out of the med-bay, noting a worried looking Gidden trailing behind.

"You are foolish to tax yourself so."

"You just don't want to share me."

"Fact."

Jacen chuckled, leaning against her gratefully. "I know I shouldn't say this, but you make one heck of a walking stick."

"Jay-sin need help?"

Jacen grinned. "No, Gidden, I'm alright. Just a little tired is all. You and mom can get acquainted with the practice mat."

"Mom?" Tenel Ka looked at him archly.

Jacen grinned at his wife. "Get used to it, Tenel Ka, you'll have another one to call you mom, or mother if you prefer, soon enough." His eyes were twinkling.

Tenel Ka stopped.

Jacen's color was slowly returning, though he still looked almost ashen, as if the drain was physical more than mental. "You hadn't thought of that?"

"No."

Jacen squeezed her shoulders. "You'll get used to it eventually. Besides, Gidden can't be calling you Tenel Ka in public if he's going to be acknowledged as our surrogate son."

"What else me call Ten'Ka?"

Jacen reached down to ruffle his blonde curls. "Mother, or mom will do."

"Why?"

Jacen pulled Tenel Ka back into a slow pace towards their quarters. "Because Tenel Ka is going to be the mother figure in your life, Gidden. To call her by her given name, especially in a society where family means almost everything would be considered disrespectful."

"Oh."

"You understand?"

"No. But me call Ten'Ka, mom if she want me to."

"If she would like you to, you mean?"

Gidden nodded eagerly. "Yup."

"You will need to work on your speech too, kid." Jacen's tone was almost regretful. "But let's take it one step at a time. You can tuck me in and then Tenel Ka can start you on your physical training."

"I believed you would object."

Jacen met her gaze, smiling softly. "As if you would do anything to hurt our child."

"Do you not mean children?" she teased softly.

Jacen went slightly grayer. "One step at a time, love, or I'll be gray before my time."

They arrived in their suite, and Tenel Ka put him to bed with the minimum of fuss, allowing Gidden to tuck the Jedi in carefully. Gidden even went so far as to plant a cautious kiss on Jacen's cheek. Jacen looked at the boy surprised.

Gidden blushed, looking down at his feet. "Me glad Jay-sin not gone. Sleep well."

Jacen smiled. "Thanks, son. Go play with your mom, she'll keep you entertained."

Tenel Ka didn't answer, but Jacen could feel her amusement at his slightly awkward use of the word "son". Well, as he'd told Gidden, better get used to it now, before they had to go out in public. Tenel Ka kissed him briefly before they left him alone, turning the lights out behind them.

Jacen closed his eyes, feeling the exhaustion catching up with him. As sleep claimed him, he couldn't help but feel a self satisfaction. Vola's treatment would be easier now; she was almost completely healed. A little rest would do her wonders. He drifted off with a smile on his face; sleep would do him wonders too.

* * *

Tenel Ka settled herself on the practice mat to begin stretching. Gidden watched her curiously from the side, his head tilted quizzically.

She motioned for him to join her, "Come. We must begin your training."

"Why me need more training?" he asked suddenly, sitting cross legged in front of her.

"Do you wish to become a Jedi, Gidden?"

He nodded eagerly. "Me wanna help like Jay-sin! Keep people safe, make ouchy better."

"Then you will also need to know how to defend yourself."

"Me do that in bad lady place all the time." His voice held a note of pride. "Me good at not needing to fight."

"Ah. Aha." Tenel Ka held up her hand. "Did you not assist Jacen and I when leaving the underground?"

"Yup."

"Would you not have been more help had you been able to use a lightsaber?"

Gidden blinked. "Huh?"

Tenel Ka removed her rancor toothed hilt from her belt. "The weapon of a Jedi is called a lightsaber. Jacen and I both carry one and have been trained to use them."

"Then why not kill mean lady?"

"It is not the way of the Jedi."

"But, you have light sword... why not use it?"

"A Jedi defends, never attacks." Her words were soft, quoting her master. "You will lean all of this in time, Gidden. Master Skywalker will wish to speak with you. I ask again. Do you wish to become a Jedi?"

Gidden nodded slowly. "But me not understand why."

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "Neither did I. Come, we will stretch together for a few minutes before I begin your basic training."

Gidden mimicked her movements, stretching out beside her and falling into an easy rhythm of stretch-hold-release, as if he'd been doing them for years.


	8. Chapter 8

Jacen woke to the sound of beeping. He frowned, his sleep-clouded brain not registering what could possibly be beeping at this hour of the night.

He slitted his eyes, and quickly closed them again; the light was much too bright to be night time. Had he over-slept?

He rolled, reaching for his wife, only to find cool cloth where she normally lay. Frowning, he wondered where she was, before the events of the morning flashed back to him in a rush. Vola. Gidden. He groaned, throwing his arm over his eyes. His head was still pounding and that incessant beeping wasn't helping.

Beeping. It had woken him up, but why? Now that his brain was starting to function again, he could tell the beeping was soft. So soft, it shouldn't have woken him.

He sighed, pushing himself out of bed, and keeping his gaze away from the directly light of the window as he searched for the source of the beep. The light flashing on their private comm. console indicated that someone had sent, and left a message. Barefoot, he padded to the chair in front of the console and checked the history.

One message from Mara Jade-Skywalker. Mara? He frowned. Why hadn't his Uncle Luke replied?

Jacen keyed the message and found nothing but text dated less than five standard minutes old.

_Jacen._

_We're on our way to speak with you about your message. Expect us within a standard week._

_We'll talk then._

_Mara._

Jacen frowned at the short message. More visitors? He made a face. After three months, couldn't people just leave him and Tenel Ka alone? Force sakes, he wanted some time with his wife!

He closed his eyes, running one hand through his hair. He supposed he would have to get used to it. With Gidden and another child, perhaps children, on the way, he wouldn't have her to himself for long. He sighed, leaning back in the chair and opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. The image of the gray eyed girl with brown curls floated in his vision.

Was this to be the child Tenel Ka was carrying? He smiled faintly. A part of him hoped so. The girl in his mind's eye was cute as a button. The impish smile with a touch of the infamous Solo grin, the brown hair done up in warrior braids, dressed in the small lizard skin outfit that Tenel Ka would insist upon.

The image vanished and he pushed himself to his feet. Luke and Mara would be here before Gidden was ready; he intended to see that the boy could impress them

A roughish smile split his face as he shook his head. Gidden's lack of manners wouldn't, but his potential surely would. Jacen eyed the bed for a long moment before turning away from it and settling on the floor. He closed his eyes, needing to clear his mind and sleep certainly wasn't helping.

He began to meditate, clearing his mind as he slipped into the mainstream of the Force.

* * *

Tenel Ka knocked Gidden to the mat with the sweep of one leg, standing at ready position as he looked up at her startled.

"What me do?"

"What did you do," she corrected sternly. "You must learn to speak properly, Gidden."

He stuck his tongue out at her, attempting to get to his feet. "Me no like this game."

"You do not like this game." Her leg shot out, dumping him to the mat again.

"You mean lady, Ten'Ka!"

She crouched next to him, seeing his lower lip trembling. "Gidden."

He wouldn't look at her, simply stared at his hands as his eyes filled with tears.

"Gidden."

His chin slowly rose at the commanding tone.

"What would you like to do to me?"

He blinked, one tear sliding down his narrow cheeks. "Make you hurt."

"What do you feel?"

"Mad."

"And how do you want to use that anger?"

His eyes slowly widened. "Me never hurt nobody."

"You mean; you would never hurt anybody." Her gray eyes sparkled.

"Yup. Me... er... I wood never hurt anybody."

"That is better. What have we talked about anger?"

"Anger is bad." His eyes almost crossed as he concentrated. "Anger leads to the darkside. What darkside?"

"The darkside is selfishness, when you think only of yourself. Do you do this, Gidden?"

"Nope." His smile was toothy. "Me... always thinkin' 'bout mens."

"Just men?"

His smile turned sheepish. "Me... I do not like to think about women." He said slowly, concentrating.

Tenel Ka nodded with satisfaction. "Better. Why do you not think about women?"

"Me... I don' like them."

"Good. Why?"

Gidden made a face. "What this have to do with anything?"

"We are finding the source of your anger, Gidden. Only when you control yourself and are at peace, can you hope to learn the ways of the Jedi."

"You talk funny, Ten'Ka."

"I quote Master Skywalker," she told him, amused. "One day you will meet him, but not today. Stand."

He pushed himself to his feet as she resumed hers, his stance slightly awkward with the mis-matched length of his legs.

She looked at him critically, taking a defensive stance. "Clear your mind and think that you will strike me."

"Why?"

"This will be your first lesson in how to strike an opponent. You must first be at peace, without anger, for this to succeed."

Gidden scrubbed his face free of tears and closed his eyes.

"Do not close your eyes."

They popped open, "Than how me..." he bit his lip, trying again. "Then how am I gonna clear mind?"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "You will learn. Focus on what you would like to do, at this very moment, and let the rest slide away. Think only of that focus. You will quiet your mind."

"Me... I wanna hit you?"

She nodded.

He looked at her dubiously and focused solely on getting past her defenses.

* * *

In the rafters above the gym, malevolent eyes stared at the new Prince and his adopted mother. _Impure_, the thought was second nature. The new Prince would have to be disposed of quickly before he could be introduced to the Hapan Consortium as Heir to the throne.

A whisper of wind caused the Queen mother to look up, her gray eyes scanning the roof of the training hall, even as she deflected Gidden's strikes. Her eyes narrowed.

Something wasn't right.

* * *

Jacen's eyes flew open as his Danger Sense flared. His lightsaber leapt from the night table across the room and into his hand as he spun to his feet, meeting and deflecting the blaster bolt which angled in from the slightly open window towards where the back of his head had been moments before. The bolt rebounded off his blade, striking the ceiling to leave a black char mark. He stepped to the side, his breathing easy, chancing a peak out into the rapidly darkening sky.

Nothing.

No wind stirred, not a bird flew or sang. The sounds of the distant city and the waves hitting the shore covered any additional sounds which might have given away his attacker.

Nothing.

He reached out with the Force, searching for malicious intent, for anything, that would give him a clue. The next rooms were empty, the balcony leading to the great hall and the rooms beyond filled with servants preparing for Tenel Ka and Jacen's formal announcement of Gidden two days hence. He could sense only anticipation and excitement from them.

A darker flavor of emotions was emanating from the bowels of the dungeon. Jacen closed down his lightsaber, closing his eyes as he kept his back to the wall. Ta'a Chume. His lips thinned. He'd thought she was beaten, that with her ties to the crown and the royal family publicly severed, she would have been a beaten, crushed foe.

He'd been mistaken. He could feel her, almost hear her, coming up with plot after plot to regain control of the Consortium. He could hear the thoughts of the untrained guards around her, worrying about visitors who claimed to be authorized. He could sense their fear of the captive; their unwillingness to do anything to antagonize her or her visitors.

His eyes opened, hardened amber glinting in the dying sunlight.

Ta'a Chume had been left to her own devices, assuming to have been beaten. This time, Jacen was the jailor and she... she would learn she held sway over nothing.

He turned from the window, pausing only to open it to help vent out the room, before his confident strides carried him from the room. It was past time since he or Tenel Ka had spoken with their prisoner and he was going to rectify that.

* * *

Tenel Ka and Gidden completed their lesson after two hours on the mat. She had learned much about his fighting style, and had already started compiling a training program that would work on improving his weaknesses.

Gidden followed close on her heels as she entered the suites she shared with Jacen.

Gidden frowned. "Where Jay-sin?"

Tenel Ka's brow knit together as she stopped, sniffing the air. Burnt ozone.

She walked swiftly to the bedchamber and threw open the door.

The window was open, the gentle breeze lifting the curtains away from the sill. The bed was rumpled, having been slept in, the light on the night table glowing softly. A scorch mark was visible on the ceiling beside the bed, and Jacen's robe had been left draped over a near by chair.

"Jacen?" Tenel Ka knew, even as she asked, that he wasn't there. She checked the fresher before returning to the bedchamber.

Gidden was standing on the bed trying to reach the scorch mark, his brown furrowed in concentration. He was standing on one leg, the longer one, hopping a little to try and investigate the new sight.

"Gidden!" Tenel Ka lunged for him, knocking him to the ground as a blaster bolt slammed into the wall above the bed, a hair shy of striking her.

She rolled, hitting the ground on one shoulder, and came to her feet, Gidden at her back and lightsaber in hand. She felt a twinge in her belly, suddenly feeling sick. She pushed it away as adrenaline rushed through her system. "Jana!"

The aid was quick to appear. "Yes, Tenel Ka?" Jana frowned, sniffing the air. "What is that smell?"

"Take Gidden. Give him to the guard; they are to protect him. There have been shots fired into our bedchamber this evening. I will find Jacen."

"But... he's gone to speak with the prisoners!"

Tenel Ka met Jana's gaze. "Then I will join him. Make the arrangements for us and our guests to leave for the Island retreat immediately. Only the guards can accompany us."

"Yes, your Majesty." Jana grabbed Gidden by the hand. "Come on, young prince, let's go find Scruffy; she's going to be your new best friend."

"Scruffy?"

Jana smiled. "She's the head of the Queen Mother's guards after me. You'll like her."

Gidden and Jana disappeared and Tenel Ka turned her attention back to the room. Two blaster bolts. Two different heights. Two different times.

She stepped to the window, her lightsaber un-ignited but ready just in case. The balconies of the other apartments of the palace held many hiding places. The droids, a simple minded person, anyone could be the would-be assassin.

She closed the window firmly and pulled the shutters closed before she shut the drapes. The window would no longer be a threat, for the moment, but they couldn't stay here. Not until the rogue element was found and dealt with.

Turning on her heel, she strode from the room, hooking her lightsaber back on her belt. Jacen was speaking with the prisoners and she needed to speak with Jacen. She waved away the guards that made to follow her, directing them instead to watch the child.

She could take care of herself and she wanted no more witnesses then there already were in the dungeons. Ta'a Chume had questions to answer. Questions which would be answered one way or another.

* * *

A woman of average height, average looks, and sporting several scars looked up as Jana entered the office. She pushed her paperwork off to the side as she saw the new Prince followed. "Jana, what can I do for you?"

Gidden's eyes widened. "You speak like rough road. All gravelly and stuff."

Scruffy leveled her gaze on the young prince, her silver-blue eyes calm. "An accident, young Prince that crushed part of my wind pipe."

"You been hurt?"

Scruffy smirked. "In the course of my work? All the time. It comes with the turf. Is something wrong, Jana?"

Jana pulled Gidden in front of her, laying her hands on his shoulders. "Someone attempted to eliminate the young Prince today in the Royal bed chamber. The Queen Mother has declared that all of her guests and the Royal Family are to be moved to the island fortress. I will need a guard posted on Prince Gidden until such a time as preparations are made and he can be removed from the city."

"But Jana!" Gidden's wine was matched by a pout. "I don' want guards!"

She squeezed his shoulders. "You don't have a choice, Gidden."

He crossed his arms over his shoulder and scuffed the floor with his shorter leg.

Scruffy examined the Prince with a critical eye. "We have a couple of new recruits who are finished their training and need some experience - they're in their teens. I think having an older sister or similar kind of bodyguard presence would be better. One you can play with maybe?"

"Games?" Gidden looked hopeful at the thought of gaining a playmate.

Scruffy arched an eyebrow at him. "You had something else in mind, young master?"

"But, what about Jana? She coming too, right?"

"Jana's place is here, young man." Scruffy's tone was firm, but not harsh. "She's the mouthpiece of the Queen when the Queen can't be here. You are subject to her, and consequently, _my_ orders when the Queen is indisposed."

Gidden blinked, unable to understand the woman and stared at her blankly.

Jana chuckled. "She means, Gidden, that I can't come with you because I have to do Tenel Ka's job when she's not here. She doesn't have a decoy so we have to have other security measures."

"Decoy?"

Scruffy laughed.

Gidden jumped as the creaking, sandpaper sound echoed in the room. His wide-eyed gaze met Scruff's amused one.

"Young Prince, you have much to learn. I will assign you a couple of guards so that one may play with you and the other guard you. Is that to your liking?"

"What kind?"

"Girls." Scruffy made a note on one of the pads on her desk. "Tanner and Mikalea; they're relatively new, but very well trained. And they each have younger siblings, so you'll be helping keep them from being homesick."

Gidden stuck out his lip, pouting. "Girls. Yuck."

Scruffy waved them away, moving to go back to her paperwork. "I'll send for them right away, Jana. If you've nothing else..."

Jana didn't move. "One more thing."

"Oh?"

"Vola and Flynn will also need to be put under discreet guard until they can be moved. I'm afraid Vola's in no shape to travel just yet."

Scruffy leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "The Yuuzhan Vong, right?"

Jana held her ground, knowing that many of Scruffy's students and companions had been killed in the recently ended war. "Yes. I know your feelings, old friend, but put them aside. Vola is not a typical Yuuzhan Vong."

"Oh?" Scruffy's tone was soft, deadly. "Enlighten me."

Jana smiled faintly. "She has a nose."

Scruffy blinked and Gidden giggled.

"Was that supposed to convince me, Jana?"

Jana shrugged. "The species as a whole mutilates themselves at an early age. She has not. That should tell you something."

"I don't like it."

Jana leaned forward over Gidden, releasing her hold on him and slapping her palms down on the desk, her gaze on Scruffy's. "You don't have to like it, Scruffy, you just have to do it. The Queen mother's friends are our responsibility now and that includes the species you don't like. Assign them guards; I'll speak with you later."

Scruffy didn't say anything as Jana took Gidden's hand and led him from the room, the door closing firmly behind them. She finally took a deep breath, counting backwards from ten, before letting it out. Guard a Yuuzhan Vong? A wry smile tilted her lips and she shook her head once. Her fellow guards weren't going to like this. Not one bit.

* * *

Gidden was quiet as Jana led him back to his quarters, feeling that she didn't need him to speak.

First, he'd been enjoying a day with Ten'Ka. Then learned something new about Jacen, only to come looking for him and have Ten'Ka tackle him to the floor for no reason, then Jana took him to the raspy lady and said stuff he couldn't understand, and now he was going to his room. And he hadn't done anything wrong!

He was on confused little boy.

He squirmed against Jana's grip. "Jana, you hurting me."

Her grip relaxed a little and he felt his fingers begin to tingle. "Sorry, Gidden, I'm just frustrated with Scruffy, that's all."

"Why you call her Scruffy?"

Jana glanced down at him and smiled. "One day, when you're older, you'll be able to understand the story. Ask me then, ok?"

"How old?"

"Sixteen."

"But that's a long time away!"

She ruffled his hair. "Sooner than you think, young prince. Can you keep two young women entertained while I go find Tenel Ka and talk to her about the arrangements?"

Gidden sighed dramatically. "If I gotta."

She ruffled his hair again. "Yes, you must, but only for a little while. Soon enough you and Flynn can tease Vola on the island."

"Ten'Ka not coming?"

"I don't know, Gidden." Jana stopped by his door, palming it open. "Tenel Ka may choose to stay here to search for the Assassin. If she does, I'll be going with you, but she and Jacen will remain here. Would that bother you?"

"Me stay with Ten'Ka." He stepped into his room, fighting a sudden yawn.

Jana's smile was soft. "Of course, Gidden. Why don't you get some sleep, then you can keep the girls occupied when they get here."

"Okay." He didn't protest, simply went to his pallet on the floor and curled up in the blanket.

Jana shook her head in amusement as he was asleep in second. Ah, to be a child again. With a sigh she closed and locked the door, turning towards her next task. Vola and Flynn wouldn't be happy to hear of the re-location but they had to know. Jana only hoped Flynn would understand with Vola still being in a delicate condition. From what Tenel Ka had told her about the independent couple, she had a hunch he wouldn't like it. Not one bit.

* * *

Jacen entered the dungeon of the Fountain palace with sure steps. The air was dry, musty from lack of circulation and smelled of blood and sweat. It was also quiet. No pleading, no crying and no sound of torture.

A pity; torture had its uses.

The guards snapped to attention as he approached the cells holding Ta'a Chume and the senate members who'd been taken from the chamber. His gaze moved neither left, no right, but Jacen could hear them. He could see that they'd been put into cells in groups of four, sometimes five, forcing them to live in shifts. With two pallets a cell, it made for uncomfortable living.

The noise began as he approached, the curses coming his way, the cries for mercy and leniency. The sobbing.

Jacen tuned it out, his objective, the sealed cell at the end of the hall, his only focus. The senate members were nothing. Not one of them had the power to attempt to take his life. Not one of them had the nerve or the resources to try such a daring move.

Not one.

Yet, even as he passed the screaming women, he could feel their fear more than their professed hatred of him. He embodied everything they feared. He was the reasons for their loss of power. He was the reason for change.

To them he was simply an icon of change. Changes that would tear their civilization apart and leave them powerless in the aftermath.

He let the feelings roll of his back like water. Nothing they could do would change what was already taking place. Nothing would stop the reforms he and Tenel Ka were implementing. Men had tasted their freedoms, and while he was their leader in a lot of ways, his death would only make him a martyr. His death would have given them an icon to follow and emulate in search of their desires.

And so these women rightfully feared him.

The guard at the cell door stepped to the side, saluting as Jacen stopped. "Open the cell."

"Yes, sire." The guard pulled out the key controls and quickly entered the combination before unlocking the cell. The hiss of the hydraulics releasing the pressure to allow the door to open was audible, even in the commotion of the dungeon.

The hiss was suddenly the only sound as the door swung open, the delegates from the senate straining to glimpse the woman who had brought them to such powers, only to have been betrayed by family.

The cell was dark, drawing a disappointed sound from the onlookers.

Jacen ignored them, looking into the darkness, the only light shining down in one corner, illuminating the captive.

Bound hand and foot, the stun cuffs humming softly in the darkness with chains that led away from wrist and ankle to the wall, the captive was forced into an almost indecent posture.

Gone was the veil, the proud and noble bearing. Gone was the poised, refined Queen Mother who'd ruled Hapes for decades. Gone was the creature that had held him captive below ground with threats and abuse.

Jacen beheld a shrunken creature, her red hair strung around her face like drying straw. Her green eyes, once so vivid with passion and hatred had sunken into her skull only to stand out against cheeks so thing the bones were visible. Her clothing, unchanged in days, was rank, tattered and torn. It exposed flesh more than it hid, but hung off a gaunt frame he had trouble believing.

"What happened?"

The guard glanced into the cell before snapping her gaze back to his. "She won't eat, sire. She hasn't touched the water we've brought her and she refuses to move. She simply stares at the same spot on the floor, blinking occasionally. I think she's trying to starve herself, sire. Rather that than beheading and a peasant's funeral."

Jacen stepped into the cell. "Bring me clean water and food; she'll eat before the day is done."

The guard saluted, closing the door behind him, but not sealing the cell.

Jacen acknowledged the guard with a wave, turning his gaze back to the pathetic creature within. "Ta'a Chume."

She didn't look up and Jacen idly wondered if she was able to.

"Ta'a Chume." He raised his voice, not unkindly, as he stepped towards her circle of light.

"Have you come to gloat, Jacen Solo?" Her voice was rough, a raspy whisper, as she forced the words through a mouth and body that was becoming severely dehydrated.

"On the contrary; I've come for advice." He stepped into reach, entering the lit circle.

"Don't mock me, male." She tried to spit at as his feet, but no moisture came to her mouth. "You've come to enjoy your victory. The evil Ta'a Chume finally defeated. Let me die in peace."

Jacen crouched so that she would look him in the eye. "I need your help, Ta'a Chume, and in return, perhaps I can do you a favor."

"I want nothing from you."

Jacen smiled faintly. "I don't blame you for that. Did you attempt to have me killed again?"

Her laugh was harsh, degenerating quickly into a dry, hacking cough.

Jacen waited as she fought to regain her breath. "I didn't think so."

"You have many enemies, Jacen Solo. Don't expect me to help you find them."

"And if I were to offer a Royal Pardon and a comfortable exile?"

Jacen didn't even flinch as the voice of his wife echoed in the cell, making the unexpected offer.

Ta'a Chume's head came up slowly, as if the weight was too great for her neck. "You lie, child. I am to die for treason I did not commit."

"Treason you have repeatedly committed." Tenel Ka corrected. "You should die for killing my mother if for no other reason."

"She killed herself." Ta'a Chume's smile was grim, her lips cracking and beginning to bleed. "She should never have been Queen Mother."

Tenel Ka's gaze was impassive.

"What if Tenel Ka were to publicly acknowledge you as kin, Ta'a Chume. Would you help then?"

They both saw her jerk as if struck.

Jacen reached out to gently grasp Ta'a Chume's hand, feeling the leathery skin. The heat under the lamp was sucking the moisture from her body. "Family is important to you, Ta'a Chume, as is being a part of the greater scheme. We're up against someone we haven't yet identified. If nothing else, this meeting will end my suspicion of you as a suspect behind it. Tenel Ka is still family; you didn't try to have her killed."

Ta'a Chume's head dropped. "Leave me."

Tenel Ka grasped Jacen's other hand and pulled him to his feet, breaking the contact. She pulled him from the cell as the guard arrived with the food and water. Jacen waved him in, meeting Tenel Ka's gaze. She held close, embracing him despite their surroundings. "She is no longer a threat."

Jacen placed his chin on the top of her head, gently stroking her hair. "My only question then is, if not her, then who?"

Tenel Ka didn't answer. She'd come down expecting the perpetrator to be Ta'a Chume only to find a shell of the woman who had wielded the office with power and authority. A shell who had no desire except to die.

Tenel Ka pulled away slowly, meeting his gaze. "I do not know, but we had best find out. Come, we must speak with intelligence."

He didn't protest, simply held her back long enough to give the order to allow Ta'a Chume unchained and to have her clothing changed. The rest would be up to her.


	9. Chapter 9

"No way."

"Not even for Vola?"

Flynn crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head adamantly. "Because of her, man. Vola's in no shape to travel, even if Jace and Tenel Ka have got some nifty-new-fangled-do-hicky that won't jostle her. She's been through enough."

"I know Flynn." Jana sighed. "Tenel Ka asked me to get you to safety and she thinks that will be on the island fortress."

"My cousin means well, Jana. She just doesn't appreciate that Vola can't be moved. I won't let her be. If anyone tries to hurt her here, they'll have to deal with me. Dig?"

Jana smiled faintly. "Dig. I can't talk you into this, can I?"

"Nope. Jacen would understand; Tenel Ka was in a similar situation before. Though, I think she's a might bit tougher than my doll here. Vola's had a rough upbringing but she wasn't exactly trained as a warrior in the way Tenel Ka was."

"Fair enough." Jana pushed to her feet. "Thanks for listening anyway, Flynn. I'll tell Gidden he's going to be bunking in the adjoining room." She waved to the side door. "That way you're all in the same area and we can keep a better eye on you."

"Or someone could plant a bomb." He shrugged. "I've been able to take care of myself, Jana. Be easy; I'll protect 'em both."

"I know you will Flynn. Just let the guards do their job, alright? These are all hand-picked by Scruffy."

"Scruffy?" Flynn snickered. "Who names their kid Scruffy?"

"It's a nickname." Jana's tone was patient. "She earned it on the front lines of the Yuuzhan Vong war, so I wouldn't make fun of her in front of the guards."

Flynn's gaze went to his Fiancée. "They're not going to try and kill her, are they? 'Cause I wouldn't appreciate that. I know not all vets like good Vong. Especially Vola. She's too trusting, likely to get herself killed if I wasn't around. Ya don't think this Scruffy's got bad intentions for us, do ya?"

"No, I don't." Jana's tone brokered no argument. "You're a guest and family to the Queen Mother. You don't honestly think they'd risk her wrath just to get the chance at harming one of a species, especially one so young of a species, that most of them never saw battle with, do you?"

"I dunno." Flynn's gaze was concerned. "I hope not. You know 'em better than I do, but we stay where we are. Just make sure this Scruffy doesn't put Vong hating guards on out detail. Not until she's back on her feet, anyway. Then maybe we can change a few mindsets."

Jana smiled faintly. I'll pass the message along, Flynn."

A knock at the door brought them both around. "Yeah?" Flynn wasn't exactly tactful.

"We've been sent by the captain to be your personal guard, sir. May we enter?"

Flynn arched and eyebrow at Jana. "Scruffy don't waste no time." He raised his voice. "Yeah, sure, come on in. But you better be tolerant people."

The two guards, both bearing scars from the war, entered the room and stopped on the threshold.

Flynn looked at them critically, watching them as they noted exactly who and what his fiancée was. "That's right, she's a Vong. You ladies got a problem with that?"

The guards snapped into a quick salute. "No sir. We'll be outside if you need us."

The guards disappeared as quickly as they'd entered and Flynn began to laugh. "No problem, see Jana?" He grinned. "No problem? Did you see their faces?"

"You're amused by their discomfort?"

Flynn nodded, forcing himself to calm down some. "Yeah, you could say I am. They looked at her in horror. But it wasn't that they didn't like her. Didn't you see it? They're upset that they might have to give their life for an alien of the race which caused so much death! That's worth laughing about in my books."

Jana chuckled. "Alright, so it has some amusement value. I've got more plans to make, will you be alright?"

Flynn sat and gently picked up one of Vola's hands, his other stroking her midnight colored hair gently. "We'll be fine. You've got lots to get ready."

Jana shook her head at the strange companion, cousin!, of the Queen mother and let herself out. She stopped to have a word, only a word, with the guards before continuing on her way. Now she needed to find tasters for all of the foods to be served. What a headache that would be. She shook her head as she walked quickly from Flynn and Vola's rooms. The day was already more than half gone and she wasn't finished half her assignments. She'd have to hurry.

* * *

Tenel Ka stopped outside the dungeon and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes against the sight of her once proud relative that was burned into her retinas. Ta'a Chume was a shell, a shadow of her former self. Having never seen the woman in such a state, the shock was just beginning to set in.

Jacen's hands were gentle on her shoulders as he pulled her into his embrace. His arms were strong, sheltering her as she placed her forehead on his collar bone.

"Hard to bear?"

She was still in his grasp, her breathing even. "I would never have thought she would deteriorate so quickly."

Jacen gently rubbed her back. "Me either. But she's made her choice. She's taking nothing from us, by capturing her we've slain the dragon. Don't forget, she did hold me hostage and try to torture me for several weeks."

"You and countless others." Tenel Ka lifted her head. "How can I feel pity for her, Jacen? I feel nothing but revulsion. I am related by blood to that..." She waved her hand in the direction of the cell. "Her punishment is not enough."

Jacen searched her eyes, noting a sheen of moisture on her lashes. "You're a terrible liar, Tenel Ka."

She tilted her chin. "I am not as practiced in it as some."

"This is a fact."

Her lips tilted in an almost awkward smile. "We must find this assassin, Jacen. Until we do, no one is safe."

"No male, you mean." His answering smile was tight. "If I know Flynn, and I'm not sure I do, he's you kin and won't go to the island. He's stubborn."

"Fact." Tenel Ka sighed, pulling out of his arms and linking her fingers through his as she tugged him back to the brighter parts of the palace. "Do you have a plan if no one will leave?"

"Plan? Me?" He chuckled. "Nope. You?"

She shook her head. "I do not."

"Should we wait for Luke and Mara then, or would you rather we try and remedy this before they get here?"

She snorted, drawing a surprised look from Jacen. "We do not need the council's help to find an assassin. Are we not Jedi Knights in our own right?"

Jacen grinned. "You've got a point, my Queen." He paused for half a second to bow to her before allowing her to continue pulling him along.

"Are you well, Jacen?"

"Never better." He shrugged. "I guess I'm still reeling from what's happened to Ta'a Chume. She chose her path a long time ago, only I wish..."

"Wishes do not preclude action."

"Not always." He ducked into a side alcove, dragging her with him. "But sometimes, they produce miracles."

She squirmed in his arms. "Jacen! What has gotten in to you?"

He pinned her against the wall. "What? I have to have a reason for being alone with my incredibly sexy and desirable wife?"

She arched an eyebrow at him, wondering where his playful mood had so suddenly struck from. "Are you certain you are well?"

He brushed a lock of her hair from her face, nodding. "Couldn't be better. I've a woman who loves me as much I as I do her. She's carrying our child, we're adopting another, her grandmother is no longer a threat, my family is coming and we're entering another phase of unknowns with the assassin and introducing Gidden. It's just like old times."

"I was not your wife, nor carrying a child during our previous quests."

"And we haven't adopted a kid before." He grinned roguishly. "Call me crazy, but I'm loving every minute of this. Except the dungeon. That was just creepy."

"You are sounding like Gidden."

"Nope." He leaned down to gently nuzzle her cheek. "But some day, perhaps he'll sound like me."

"Are you certain you are not ill, Jacen?" She pushed him away, searching his gaze with concern. "You are acting strangely."

He gently placed a kiss on her forehead. "I'm fine, Tenel Ka."

She watched him carefully for a few moments before accepting it. "Very well. Come, we have things to do if we are to catch this assassin. I will need your help."

"That's music to my ears beautiful lady. Lead the way."

Tenel Ka slanted another look at him before leading him out of the alcove. Jana should have finished her preparations and it was time to make their own. If they were to draw the assassin or assassins from their hiding places, they would need perfect coordination. And Jacen, acting strangely or not, would be essential in drawing them. She hated to use him as bait, but he could take care of himself better than Gidden.

"Do you mind being bait?"

Jacen blinked. "For a trap?"

She nodded.

"Have I ever?" His eyes twinkled. "You're talking to a man who's been little else since he was born, Tenel Ka, don't you think it gets old?"

"I think you have lost your senses." She told him honestly.

He chuckled. "Have it your way. What'd you have in mind for this trap?"

"A party."

Jacen blinked in surprise, stopping dead in his tracks. "Pardon?"

"A party." She sounded amused. "It is normal for the Queen Mother to wish to celebrate with her consort for any number of reasons. You disagree?"

"No, I'm shocked. I never pictured you as one to enjoy those functions of state."

Her eyes sparkled and she laughed softly. "I have reason to, Jacen. The last function I attended was with you before we were married. Do you not remember the fight in the courtyard?"

He pulled her close. "How could I forget? You were determined not to let me take you captive."

"I have always been your captive." She stretched up to kiss him softly. "I just never realized it. And you did not answer my question. Do you object?"

"No, Tenel Ka." He began walking again. "But don't you think Jana has enough on her plate without setting up security for a large event?"

"You have never been to a Hapan event." She cocked her head at him, her tone dry. "They are rarely amusing. Mostly they are very dry, and you spend a good deal of time greeting people. By placing ourselves in danger, we will tempt the assassin into taking a daring attempt on your life."

"Ok, I like it so far, except the idea of being bait."

"You would prefer I ask Gidden to stand in your place?"

"No."

"I thought not. I do not like placing you in danger either, my love. It is necessary; I would not suggest it otherwise."

"I know." He looped his arm around her shoulders, pressing her left side to his right. "But maybe we can add a bit of Corellian spice to the Hapan traditions."

Her eyes fairly gleamed with mischief even as her face remained impassive. "From a Solo? It will be a party none soon forget!"

* * *

_White._

_Gray._

_All around were signs of lifelessness. Signs of life without color, happiness or joy. Signs of man's inhumanity to everything and everyone. A kaleidoscope of colorless scenes forever etched in the mind._

_A mother cradling the body of a burned child. The skin blackened skin dark against the white of her own, the flakes of ash falling slowly to the ground. The skin sloughing off in sheets to reveal bone beneath. No sound, the wail of the child silenced forever by the flames that had consumed them._

_A man standing by impassively on the bank of a raging river, watching as a baby nexu fought the current only to go under repeatedly. The man did nothing as the mother appeared. The roar was almost deafening as the mother dove in after her baby, only the human did nothing but watch as both fought and finally succumbed to the current._

_A boy whipping another with a vibro cord leaving gashes of black along white. The gleeful set of the punishing boy's grin in sharp contrast to the tears and anguish of the punished boy._

_A baby playing with his father's blaster, the safety turned off. A click, a bolt of molten silver, and the baby squirmed no more._

_A girl, her hair the color of flame, the only color in the colorless world. The girl watched as each of these things happened and large, black tears poured from her eyes. A girl with hair of flame who bled for what she saw._

_Death in grayscale._

* * *

An anguished scream shattered the stillness of the palace, like nails on a chalk board. A wave of Force power enhanced the sound, causing windows to shatter and glass to break as the very foundation of the palace seemed to rumble with the emotion.

Jacen froze as the sound reverberated through his bones, feeling the impact of the sudden power.

_Gidden_.

Tenel Ka was off, running ahead of him before the impact of the scream continued to echo behind them. He followed quickly, drawing on the Force to enhance his speed. They ran, faster and faster, not caring as their passage drew worried and disapproving looks. Not caring when security dropped in behind them, their training preventing more than a fast march. Not caring that they were making a scene.

Gidden had need of them. The pain they could feel from him was almost physical, pushing them to greater lengths.

Tenel Ka entered the corridor to Gidden's room a step ahead of Jacen, her gaze focused on her destination. She slowed and finally stopped long enough to palm open the door to the boy's room.

Her hand went to her throat in shock, her eyes widening. Jacen stopped behind her, looking into the room cautiously. He feared their precautions had somehow been for naught. Somehow their careful protection circle had failed, leaving the boy vulnerable and had caused his end.

Gidden sat huddled in a corner, his face slashed from pieces of broken window. He was shaking, slowly rocking back and forth, his eyes vacant yet haunted. His clothing was slashed, torn to ribbons around his shoulders and torso. Cuts, only now beginning to bleed, left small trails down his pink skin.

Tenel Ka entered the room, moving to crouch beside him. She hesitated for a moment, but his lost look brought her arms around him, pulling him close. She sat, pulling him into her lap, and steadying him as best she could with the upper portion of her left arm as she gently stroked his back with her right.

Gidden curled close, burying his head against her chest. "Mamma..." His voice was choked, soft.

Jacen watched from the doorway as Tenel Ka seemed to transform from the strong, self-assured young woman he'd always admired, into a gentle, soft-spoken and somewhat hesitant mother-figure.

She gently shushed Gidden. "It will be alright, Gidden. It is alright. Jacen and I are here."

"Mamma..." Gidden sobbed, his young mind unable to deal with the visions he'd seen.

"Yes, Gidden. Mamma is here."

Gidden shook in her arms, nodding, but continued to cry.

Jana arrived, the security on her heels, and Jacen turned to deal with them as Tenel Ka worked at calming Gidden down.

Jana's eyes widened in surprise as she spotted Tenel Ka cuddling the crying boy. Jacen stepped into her view. "Jana."

"Yes, sire?"

Jacen's lips twitched. Everyone dealt with emergencies differently. "Tenel Ka has things in hand with Gidden. Could you arrange a replacement for the glass in his room?"

"Immediately, sir." She caught his meaning. "I'll send someone outside immediately to pass on the request."

"Good."

Jana turned away, directing the security detail to secure a perimeter and to check the exterior of the building for suspicious persons, species or things.

Jacen turned back to the room and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

Tenel Ka was gently stroking Gidden's blonde curls, placing gentle kisses on the top of his head as she rocked him back and forth in her lap.

Jacen could hear her humming something softly. Whatever it was, it appeared to be calming the boy fairly quickly. He settled next to them, just out of reach, watching quietly. Tenel Ka's face was mobile, unguarded, as she hummed softly to the child.

Gidden sniffled against her shoulder, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist as far as they could go, his knuckles white.

It took almost thirty minutes for Gidden to calm down enough to shift in Tenel Ka's lap. She smiled as he moved. "Do you feel better, Gidden?"

"A little."

"Would you like to talk about it, son?" Jacen phrased his question gently, hoping he wouldn't bring on another reaction like the one that had brought them here in the first place.

Gidden looked up at Tenel Ka for reassurance. She nodded. "It is alright. We are concerned about you."

"It's scary." Gidden's voice was a whisper and he began to tremble again.

Tenel Ka made a motion to Jacen with her head indicating he was to shift around to sit in front of them. He complied as she pulled Gidden completely back into her arms, enfolding him tightly. "Does that help?"

Gidden scooted backwards and into the shelter of her body, nodding. "Yup. Mamma's safe. Warm too!"

"That's my boy." Jacen smiled, winking at Tenel Ka, and feeling just a twinge of jealousy that she was being called mother. "That was some Force wave you sent out, Gidden."

Gidden sighed softly, hunching his shoulders. "Me sorry. Didn't mean to, but it was bad!"

"We are not mad, Gidden." Tenel Ka strove to reassure him, gently rubbing his arm. "We wish to help."

"You sure you not mad? Me make big mess."

Jacen chuckled softly. "We're more worried about you. We'll worry about the mess later."

The door slid open and Jana poked her head in. "Sorry to interrupt, but I thought you might want this."

Jacen nodded his thanks as Jana placed a med-pack just inside the door and then disappeared again. He raised his hand and telekinetically called the pack to him.

Gidden watched silently as Tenel Ka alternately stroked his arm, his shoulder and his hair.

Jacen set the pack down between himself and his wife and adopted son. He opened it, noting it was a standard issue pack with only the basics. Well, they'd get Gidden to the medical lab once he was over his fright. "You've a few cuts and bruises, but nothing looks too deep. Can I take a look?"

"I suppose." Gidden held out one arm unenthusiastically for Jacen to bandage.

Jacen met Tenel Ka's gaze and nodded, suddenly placing the bandage on the ground. "How about this. I'll leave you two alone. When you're ready, if you want to talk to me, I'll be in the hallway, ok?"

Gidden blinked, his arm dropping. "Why?"

Jacen pushed himself into a crouch. "I think you need some of your mother's attention without me, son. Trust me, my nightmares as a kid always felt further away if it was just mom and I without my dad. You let me know when you're ready to talk to me, ok?"

"Ok."

Jacen stood, taking an imperceptible deep breath, and walked to the door. They were some of the hardest steps he'd ever had to take. _You trust Tenel Ka,_ he reminded himself. _Trust her with this. She is carrying your child. Gidden needs a mother's touch right now. Trust her._

He didn't say anything as he exited the room. _I do trust her._

Behind the closing door, Tenel Ka gently kissed the side of Gidden's head. "Are you alright, Gidden?"

He nodded, looking at the closed door over her shoulder. "Why Jay-sin leave?"

"You do not wish him here. I can feel it as well."

"No, I want him to come back!"

Tenel Ka opened her arms so he could crawl out of her lap. "Then go get him."

Gidden pushed himself forward, but didn't go beyond the cross of her ankles. His shoulders dropped. "Why me no want Jay-sin here, Mamma?"

"I do not know."

Gidden was silent for a long minute. "I see you, I think."

"Oh?"

He nodded, turning around to look at her, his gaze solemn. "A girl who have red hair was crying. No one else in color in my dream. No one else as pretty. Mamma prettiest girl on planet!"

She smiled softly, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "Flattery does not work on me, young man. What else did you see?"

"Lots of gray." He frowned, thinking. "Why me dream in gray?"

"I do not know. Jacen is better with conjecture than I."

"What conjeg... conjek... what that word mean?"

"To guess."

"Oh." Gidden bit his lip. "You think colors might mean something."

"Possibly. What else did you see?"

"Bad people." His lip trembled and his eyes began to tear again. "I see people hurting other people and not being sad! I saw a baby die."

Tenel Ka pulled him close again as large tears trickled down his cheeks. "Shhh. I am here."

He buried his face in her shoulder again, crying softly.

Tenel Ka continued to stroke his hair gently, humming softly. It was an old lullabye she could just barely remember. Something about little warriors. Something her grandmother and mother had used to sing to put her to sleep. The melody was soothing, rhythmic, and Gidden slowly stopped crying, going limp in her arms. She kissed his forehead and rose to her feet, using the Force to help keep him cradled securely. His breathing was slow and even as he slept and Tenel Ka settled herself onto the mattress, gently placing him in his self-made sleeping pallet.

She retrieved the med-kit, loathe to leave him alone just yet, and began tending his wounds.

Gidden twitched under her ministrations, but the bleeding had stopped and she simply had to wash and cover the cuts with synth-flesh. He made small noises in the back of his throat, his forehead creasing as if under strain or duress. She gently smoothed the flesh with her hand, suddenly wishing she had two. One to continually touch him; the other to continue applying the soothing salve and synth-flesh.

"Wishes don't make for good companions."

She turned her head to see Jacen standing just inside the door. Her smile was faint. "I know." She turned back to Gidden, continuing to apply the medication as he settled under her touch.

Jacen watched from the doorway as Tenel Ka tended to Gidden, his heart contracting painfully. She was so beautiful, taking on the role of mother with only a moment's hesitation when Gidden needed her. He couldn't have been more proud of her.

"You may enter, Jacen." She didn't look up from tending the child. "He is asleep and will not know."

Jacen came to her side and knelt. Gidden slept on, oblivious, as Jacen assisted Tenel Ka with applying the bandages. "You're doing wonderful with him."

"I need to learn."

Jacen grinned, reaching out to pull on one of her braids affectionately. "It's more than that, and you know it."

Tenel Ka returned his smile, something about the presence of the child allowing her to react more easily to his advances. "Perhaps. Gidden has given me the desire to protect and shelter him from the demons in his dreams. It is... unfamiliar."

"To say the least." Jacen applied a piece of synth-flesh to their son's face, covering a deep wound across one cheek. "Did he tell you what he saw?"

"Death."

Jacen jerked. "He saw death?" His throat closed, and he fought to keep his voice even. "His own?"

Tenel Ka shook her head, reaching out to squeeze his hand reassuringly. "No, Jacen. No one he knew. At least, no one I believe he has known. It is possible they are images of his childhood."

"What did he see?"

Tenel Ka removed her hand to place the last of the bandages on Gidden's wounds before pulling his blanket up to his chin. "Death. He said he saw a baby die, he did not say how."

Jacen frowned, sitting back on his heels. "A baby? Boy or girl?"

"He did not say."

"Did he mention anything else?"

"He said he saw people being mean to other people." Tenel Ka's lips firmed into a hard line. "Possibly drawn from his experiences in Ta'a Chume's underground empire as he said they did not appear to be showing regret."

"Poor little guy. That's hard to dream about when you shouldn't have to worry about more than being a kid."

"Fact." Tenel Ka's brow furrowed. "He mentioned seeing a girl with red hair who was crying. He believed it was me."

Jacen lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? And did he say why he thought it was you?"

"Because she was beautiful."

Jacen reached out to pull her towards him and she came without resistance. They settled into a comfortable position next to Gidden's bed, Tenel Ka placing her head on Jacen's shoulder. Jacen squeezed her waist. "I have to agree with him. But why was the girl crying when everything else he dreamed about was death?"

"I do not know." She was silent for a long minute. "He also said the red hair on the woman was the only color in the dream. He saw everything else in shades of gray."

Jacen scooted backwards to lean against the frame of the bed Gidden hadn't yet learned to use, stretching his legs out in front of him. "You're sure of that?"

She nodded. "He is very confused."

Jacen fell silent, looking carefully at the boy who was quickly becoming an inseparable part of their family. _Gray..._ he pondered the revelation. Could Gidden be seeing the world in shades of gray, literally? Or was his dream a vision from the Force, as suggested by his reaction to it? _Or perhaps_, Jacen thought wryly, _I'm reading too much into this and he's simply seeing things suppressed in his sub-conscious_.

"Jacen."

"Hmm?" Tenel Ka placed a kiss on his cheek, drawing his immediate attention. "What's that? Sorry, Tenel Ka, just thinking about seeing the world in shades of gray."

"Do you think we should let him sleep?"

Jacen squeezed her, placing his chin on the top of her shoulder. "I think we should give him a cot in our apartments. He'd be more comfortable closer to us, and while it gives us less privacy, I'd feel better knowing he was under our protection. No offense to your guard contingent of course."

Tenel Ka's lips twitched. "I must have Jana introduce you to Scruffy."

Jacen grinned. "Scruffy?"

"Second in command after Jana." Tenel Ka pulled herself reluctantly from his embrace and stretched her hand out to him. "Come. If you carry Gidden, I will see about having a cot put out for him."

Jacen smiled, moving to Gidden's side and scooping the boy up in his arms. "Your wish is my command, My Queen."

She simply arched an eyebrow at him before turning to exit the room. Before they reached the door, Jana had appeared, saw Jacen's bundle and gauged their intentions. She disappeared as quickly and, as Jacena and Tenel Ka exited the room, several people were running towards their chambers.

Jana appeared again, as if by magic. "I assume you want to have a cot set up for Gidden in your chambers?"

Jacen grinned, settling the boy's head more comfortably against his shoulder. "I don't know what we did without you Jana. Thanks."

She simply shrugged, sharing a look with Tenel Ka. "It's my job. Speaking of jobs, I need to arrange for dinner. And Jacen?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't outdistance your entourage this time, alright? It makes for some painful headaches."

Jacen laughed as Jana headed away, feeling Tenel Ka's amusement even if she wouldn't allow herself outward pleasure in front of her guards. He semi-bowed to his Queen. "If you will lead the way at a suitably decorous pace, my lady."

She inclined her head to him, her eyes dancing. "I _always _set a decorous pace."

Jacen, mindful of the bundle in his arms, fought to keep the laughter at bay. What a woman!


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Jana having excused herself with the news that she would now have to arrange a royal function, Jacen, Tenel Ka and Gidden were left to their own devices. Gidden was quiet, staying close to Tenel Ka whenever possible. Jacen felt almost like an outsider, feeling helpless as the child withdrew and focused on Tenel Ka, seeming loathe to speak with him.

He couldn't understand it.

Tenel Ka pulled him aside when Gidden went to the Fresher. "Perhaps today you should see Flynn, Jacen. Gidden is not yet ready to speak with you."

Jacen looked past her to the 'fresher door. "What did I do, Tenel Ka? I thought he and I were past this, I mean, I helped free those people he was living with!"

Tenel Ka gently caressed his cheek. "Do you remember telling Gidden you were more comfortable with your mother's touch?"

He nodded.

"I believe this is the current case. Eventually you spoke with your father again. He will as well."

Jacen stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants, and sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I wish it was now. I think I'm being selfish, but he should trust me by now."

"It is not a matter of trust, my love. Gidden does trust you. It is a matter of security. He is in a new place with new people. I was the first to befriend him underground. Is it not logical he would turn to me first?"

Jacen's familiar Solo grin crossed his face. "More than logical. I think I'll take your advice and check on Flynn and Vola, Tenel Ka. Watch out for him, will you?"

"Always." She pulled his head down for a kiss before letting him go. "We will be fine."

Jacen exited their apartments; confident Tenel Ka wouldn't let anything happen to Gidden, and perhaps would draw more of his vision from him. He wanted to see their boy get help. A smile crossed his face as he headed for the rooms Vola and Flynn were sharing; idly wondering is they were going to be following the tenants of their society when Vola was better.

Probably. His thoughts were wry. They'd grown up in that society and he couldn't say he begrudged them their beliefs. He let the Force slip away from him, slipping into the familiar Vong sense, searching for Vola as he walked. She was steady, her body having recovered from the bacta bath.

He felt a sudden flare of danger, and spun, his lightsaber coming to his hand. A blaster was pointed at him from around a corner, the face of his would-be assassin cloaked in cloth. He lifted his blade in that half-second, deflecting the bolt back at the assailant but they were gone. He ran towards the spot where they'd disappeared, determined to put an end to this.

Blaster fire echoed around him suddenly, defensive fire from the guards posted around the palace as the suspicious assailant caught their attention. So much for the best security, Jacen found himself thinking.

Around the corner, Jacen found the guards standing over a cloaked body, their blasters pointed at the singed hole in the back of the cloak. _Too easy,_ the whisper in the back of his mind was instant. Too easy indeed. He scanned the area, stretching out with the Force, his eyes the only moving part in his head. Nothing.

But it felt wrong. Assassin catching on Hapes was not this easy, not with the centuries of intrigue and subterfuge. A tingle at the back of his mind caught and held his attention. Someone else was watching, someone else was seeing the same thing and thinking similar thoughts. But it wasn't someone he was familiar with; their presence was foreign to his mind. Another tingle caught his attention, this one more malicious. He tried to focus on it, but, as quickly as it had come, it faded. It left only the certainty that this attack had been staged to get a secondary assassin killed so they couldn't be captured.

It made sense. Kill the one who would talk if caught and save the plotter behind the scheme.

"Sire?"

He brought his attention back to the present. "I'm sorry?"

One of the guards looked sidelong at him. "Did you want us to check this person, sire?"

"No, that's alright. I'll do it." He waved them off, and they fell back, falling into a defensive position to cover him as he knelt next to the body. Jacen ignored them, gently rolling the corpse onto its back and lifting the hood away from their face.

One of the guards twitched, their training allowing for no further reaction.

"You know this person." It wasn't a question.

The guards glanced at each other, the one who'd betrayed the sense of recognition finally speaking. "Yes, sire."

Jacen waited patiently, knowing that the guard would elaborate without being asked if he remained silent. He took the time to study the features. The woman was young; no more than twenty. Her face was heart shaped, marred by a jagged scar running diagonally across her face. She would have been pretty except the scar tissue was puckered the whole way, indicating she hadn't had access to bacta to attempt to close it. The ugly red line was also recent; newly closed.

"She was a recruit who didn't make it, sire." The guard spoke again when he didn't respond immediately. "Her name is... was, Jaylyn."

"Lots of Jays in this place." Jacen murmured to himself as he reached out to check the blaster the young woman had attempted to kill him with, picking the device up with the Force to avoid any pressure sensitive booby-traps.

"Sire?"

"Nothing. What do you know about her?"

"Only that Jana wouldn't allow her to stay due to temper problems, sire. Scruffy may know more."

Jacen pulled the hood back over the young woman's face and stood, turning to the guards. "One of you have her body taken to the morgue - if we have one - and keep it there until I speak with Tenel Ka and Scruffy. You." He pointed at the guard who had spoken to him regarding the young woman. "I think it's time I met Scruffy. Take me to her."

"Yes, sire."

The other guard immediately called for backup and a hover-stretcher for the body. The guard who had spoken about the assassin saluted smartly and turned on her heel, leading him in the opposite direction from where he'd been heading.

Jacen paused before following her. "One more thing."

"Yes sire?" The guard in charge of the corpse looked at him respectfully.

"If anyone else tries to kill me, don't kill them, ok? I want them taken alive."

"That's against protocol, sire. We have to neutralize the threat."

Jacen chuckled. "I'll talk to Scruffy and make it an order. Carry on." He walked away shaking his head. Of all the stupid rules. Kill the assassin, not capture, so you couldn't obtain further information and possibly implicate yourself. How dumb.

His guide paused at a bend in the hallway, awaiting him, and he picked up his pace to catch up to her. He and Scruffy needed to have a chat about their operating protocols and some changed which were needed. And that chat would be very, very soon.

* * *

Jacen stopped inside the training center and leaned against the doorframe, observing. His guide stopped a couple of feet in front of him, waiting as the trainer led the recruits through several repetitions of stretches and moves he'd seen Tenel Ka do more times than he could count. The class was small, less than ten students, and Jacen found his gaze wandering from student to student, unconsciously assessing their technique and comparing it to his wife's. He didn't find a single one with the easy familiarity she displayed with the movements and immediately concluded this was a newer class.

The woman leading the recruits was dressed in the colors of a master, her movements more fluid and natural than any of her students. Jacen observed her carefully, noting that there weren't any distinguishing marks about her face or features beyond a couple of scars that could be easily hidden. He also noted that one side of her neck was slightly more concave than the other, indicating a possible injury from a previous time.

"Lieutenant?" His guide stepped forward at a break in the training as the instructor turned away from the stretching class.

The woman looked back and his guide, her silver-blue eyes moving beyond to meet his own brandy-brown, and he saw he was being categorized in a similar fashion to what he'd done to her.

"Thank you, Lajana. Take over the class." The woman's voice was scratchy, rough as she spoke to his guide. The guard saluted stiffly and moved to do as bided. "Jacen Solo, I presume?"

Jacen extended his hand to the woman. "You must be Scruffy."

Scruffy took his hand in a tight, bone breaking grip. "What can I do for you, sire?"

Jacen decided her like her candor, returning her handshake with equal force. "I've a few questions for you regarding an instance that happened a short time ago."

"The death of the assassin." Her statement confirmed the suspicions Jacen had about the guard's abilities to communicate before the messenger arrived. "So ask, I've a class to resume teaching shortly."

Jacen crossed his arms over his chest, meeting her gaze squarely. "Lajana called her Jaylyn and said you might know more about her as she was one of the failed recruits for this assignment."

Scruffy frowned. "Jaylyn? The name is familiar but that was several classes ago. Lajana!" Her voice carried for all its lack of previous volume.

The young guard turned, tilting her head inquiringly.

Scruffy made a motion across her throat. "End it for the day, I've other business to attend to."

Lajana nodded and turned back to the recruits, some of who were showing signs of relief at having the day cut short. Scruffy made mental note of which ones to test beyond the others before turning back to Jacen. "If you'll follow me, sire, I keep the records in my office."

Several minutes later, Jacen found himself in Scruffy's office as she went through labeled datarods and hard copies, looking for Jaylyn's file. She frowned after searching one cabinet drawer after another, and Jacen had a sudden sinking feeling.

"It's not here."

"I keep very careful records, sire. If she was a pupil, she's in here somewhere."

"Call me Jacen, Scruffy."

She looked up at him long enough to give him a look to say he was asking for the stars before going back to her searching.

Jacen sighed. "I'm not impugning your abilities to keep records, but her file isn't going to be found in your organized clutter."

"You know something I don't?"

Jacen settled into the chair in front of her desk, leaning back comfortably. "Call it Jedi intuition, if you will. Whoever recruited Jaylyn after you dismissed her has been very careful to keep her from sight to train her for this. It stands to reason they'd attempt to obtain or destroy all records pertaining to her abilities and weaknesses. I suppose it's now a moot point since she's dead."

Scruffy straightened herself and settled into her chair behind the desk, opening the locked drawers as he spoke. "You're likely right."

Jacen grinned. "And you don't like admitting it." He held up a hand when he saw her eyes flash. "I don't mean that as an insult, it's meant warrior to warrior. What do you remember of this recruit, Scruffy?"

Scruffy leaned back in her chair, staring at him. "She was headstrong and brash. Took too many chances and didn't have patience. She almost got her partner killed in a training accident after losing her temper. She was too volatile to keep, and didn't take it well when we cut her from the class."

"So I have a motive beyond hating men." His response was dry. "But why have her killed?"

Scruffy chuckled shortly before coughing roughly. "Why else? Jaylyn was uncontrollable. She would have only followed orders she liked and she took chances anyone else would consider suicide. No one wants a loose cannon on their team."

"I don't suppose I could have you issue an order to the royal bodyguards to put their weapons on stun when approaching someone attempting to kill me, could you?"

Scruffy blinked at him once. "That's against protocol."

"I know that." Jacen leaned forward. "But think, Ta'a Chume was captured alive and we've gained some knowledge, however, hard fought, from her. Any assassin we catch can lead us back up the trail to the person behind the assassination attempts. Without those links-"

"I get the point sire." Scruffy smiled wryly. "I'll issue the order, but Jana can overrule it if need be."

"Is there reason for her to?"

Scruffy rose to her feet. "Not unless she's behind the attacks. Now, if you'll excuse me, sire, I've duties I need to get back to."

"Of course, Scruffy. It's been a pleasure."

Her rough laugh was soft. "I doubt that, but I do look forward to our continued acquaintance."

Jacen returned her smile. "Likewise. Thank you for your time."

Scruffy escorted him out of her office before locking the door behind her. "Anytime, sire. Good day."

Jacen watched Scruffy go, uncertain what exactly to make of her, but certain he liked what he'd seen so far. The dedicated subordinate was certainly serious about her position. Lajana was waiting for him as Scruffy moved away; falling into guard position behind him as he turned back down toward the corridors he'd been traversing before. A sinking feeling suddenly made his stop. Had the assassin been after him, or had she simply taken an opportune shot. Flynn and Vola's room was in the wing where he'd been attacked and the attack could have been meant for the male cousin of the Queen Mother.

He started off at a brisk pace, headed for the rooms assigned to the affianced couple. He hadn't seen much of them since they'd arrived and it was time to remedy that.

* * *

Tenel Ka watched as Gidden sat at the table stacking plates and cups precariously and then attempting to prevent them from falling with the Force. His face was a mask of concentration, the tip of his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth. He focused, but while the plates didn't fall, neither did they stop wobbling.

"Not all Jedi can move things with their minds, Gidden."

He sighed, pushing the stack away and sending her an apologetic look when they crashed to the floor. "Sorry, Mamma."

"They can be replaced." She motioned for him to join her on the floor away from the table, her posture relaxed and ready for meditation. "Do you feel better this morning?"

Gidden slid from his chair and came to stand in front of her awkwardly, using the time to compose his answer. "I think so."

"You sound better."

"Me... I practice. Make mamma proud."

She extended her hand to him. "Fact. Come. Or do you not wish to find the meaning of your dream?"

He settled next to her, radiating apprehension. "Me... I dunno. Will it be as bad as before?"

"I do not know."

"Why we do this, then?"

She ruffled his hair. "To clear your mind and bring order to chaos. Perhaps meditating with me will provide you with an answer."

He shrugged non-committaly. "Ok, but me stop if it scary."

"I will be here. Do not be afraid."

He didn't look very reassured but dutifully closed his eyes. Tenel Ka watched him carefully, feeling him reach to the Force. She felt his hesitation and trepidation, and placed her hand in his before reaching out to balance him in the powerful stream.

Gidden felt like he was floating. The feel of Tenel Ka close by, her presence anchoring him, was like a warm blanket. He stretched out, feeling the blanket go with him, looking cautiously for the essence of his visions and dreams.

An image came to mind. A beautiful girl, the same one he'd seen before. She was holding his hand, her luminescent gray eyes looking at him trustingly. She said nothing, simply waited, wanting him to lead on. Gidden took a moment to examine the girl, seeing the brown hair tied back in a ponytail girls likes, a dress which identified her as a princess and a posture that betrayed rebellion. She cocked her head at him, waiting.

He looked around, finding that they were in a village. A very poor village from the look of it.

The blanket feeling that was Tenel K was close, enveloping him in reassurance as the scene wavered. He focused, bringing the huts back, and a cold feeling began to spread through the pit of his stomach. He grasped the girl's hand tightly, cautiously stepping forward, feeling the dream becoming some kind of horrible nightmare.

The hut in front of him was vaguely familiar and he and the girl melted through the wall as if they were nothing but mist. Inside a young boy sat playing with his toys. Gidden blinked. The boy had legs mis-matched in length, but was plump, happy, a smile on his face.

He was looking at himself.

The scene shifted, and the smell of burning flesh assaulted his senses, bringing with it the urge to vomit. The girl squeezed his hand, drawing his attention. Soldiers were in the village. The women folks were slaughtered, their corpses littering the ground like leaves in various positions. In one corner, a mother appeared to have been sheltering her child, and a single sword strike killed them both.

Blood soaked the ground, making it treacherous to walk, and Gidden saw himself, no less than four years ago, being marched out of the ruined village in chains. The men had been corralled, beaten into submission, and chained, taken for slave labor.

A wail brought it head around.

A mother, _his mother_ cradled the body of a burned child. The child's skin was blackened and charred, flakes of ash falling slowly to the ground as the hut burned unnoticed above her. The child's skin was sloughing off in sheets to reveal bone beneath, coming to pieces in his desperate mother's hands. A crash, a cloud of flame and sparks and suddenly no sound, his mother's wail silenced forever by the flames that had consumed them.

Gidden shuddered, ducking his head, overcome by grief. His mother had died this way. The woman who had given him birth.

The little girl pulled him close, hiding his head in her shoulder and he felt himself cry. Focus was lost and he was thrown back into the mainstream of the Force.

The girl disappeared, leaving him only the comforting sensation of being secure and protected. His mind had trouble explaining what he'd seen. A memory? He was seven; that memory had to be from when he was three or younger.

A gentle insistent pulling led him out of the stream and back into his own body. He slowly opened his eyes, feeling the tears on his cheeks. Tenel Ka's arms were around him, his head on her shoulder, the fabric of her clothing wet with moisture. He sniffled, wiping his wrist across his nose. "I sorry, mamma."

"Is that what happened, Gidden?"

"Me don't know!" He wailed, turning his face into her shoulder again.

"Gidden?"

He didn't budge at her stern tone, simply kept his face hidden.

"Gidden."

Her voice softened fractionally, and he peaked up at her.

Tenel Ka met his gaze, searching them for something. "Would you like to know if that is what happened?"

He shook his head. "No. Me don't wanna see that ag'in. Me have new mamma, no bad womens hurts me no more!"

"Your past is what made you who you are." Her tone was even, calm. "It is not right to try and forget the events that helped make us the people we are today."

"It sad!"

"Many of our memories are. Shall I share one of mine with you?"

He nodded, wiping his wrist across his nose again.

Tenel Ka set him slightly away from her, composing herself. "You know of Jacen's special glow, correct?"

"Yup."

"Good. Jacen is to tell you how he acquired it. I will tell you what I felt when he was taken from me."

"Why they take Jay-sin from mamma?"

She smoothed his hair. "To make him what he is now. They gave him the opportunity to develop the sense he used to help Vola."

"Is it a good thing?"

Tenel Ka nodded once. "Fact. I did not believe so at the time."

"How come?"

"I was not aware of what they were doing. I believed he was dead."

"Dead!" Gidden gasped. "But Jay-sin alive!"

"I know that now, Gidden." She cocked her head at him. "I was devastated by Jacen's believed death. Just as you were when your village and parents were killed. There is no shame in being sad."

"Mamma not cry." Gidden pouted. "Me not cry neither."

"I cried." Her voice was soft. "I cried for many nights, Gidden. You may not see my emotions, but they are there."

"'cause mean lady was a threat, right?"

"Fact." She pushed to her feet. "It is time for food; we have been meditating for most of the day."

Gidden's gaze went to the window, where the sun was passing over indicating it was into the afternoon already. His eyes widened. "Can me still go swimming with Jana today, mamma?"

"If she has time." Tenel Ka waited until he pushed himself to his feet and led the way into the eating room. "Tanner and Mikalea can take you if she does not."

"Yipiee!"

* * *

Vola answered at Jacen's knock, the door sliding open to admit the Jedi.

Jacen looked at her carefully, surprised. "Vola! Should you be up yet?"

"I am fine, Great One." Her golden-violet eyes held wariness and pain, but she looked physically better. "Flynn is not here, can I help you?"

"I came to see you, actually." Jacen smiled for her. "I'm you resident healer, didn't you know?"

"Flynn doesn't know I'm awake yet."

Jacen thought he detected a hint of a blush on the cheeks of the young Yuuzhan Vong. "Have you been pretending to be asleep?"

She stepped back. "No. Come in, Great One. I... I have something I'd like to speak with you about."

Jacen allowed himself to be led into Vola and Flynn's common area, taking a seat on one of the nearby couches. "Weren't you supposed to stop calling me 'Great One', Vola?"

She blushed, nodding. "I was."

"So, call me Jacen, I promise I won't take offence."

Vola took a seat opposite him, folding her hands in her lap, and staring down at her tightly woven fingers.

Jacen examined her carefully. "Vola, are you alright?"

She shook her head, looking up at him, and Jacen was surprised to see tears on her lashes. "It's all my fault!"

"What's all your fault?"

She waved one hand at her surroundings. "This; all of it. Flynn wouldn't be stuck here if it wasn't for me. He never would have gotten attacked and I wouldn't have ended up caught by that wretched woman. If only we'd never come."

"Coming to Hapes was your idea?"

She nodded, and Jacen understood.

He smiled softy. "Vola."

She didn't look at him, a single tear splashing on her tightly woven fingers.

"Vola, look at me."

She shook her head, her black hair swaying gently about her face.

"It's because of the wedding, isn't it?" Jacen saw her tremble and he knew he was right. "Are you nervous that because of all that's happened Flynn is going to desert you here?"

She nodded. "If I hadn't begged him to take you up on your offer... if I hadn't insisted that we see Hapes before we become husband and wife..." She trailed off, another tear splashing on her fingers.

"He would have come anyway."

Her head jerked up, and she looked at him in confusion. "You're wrong."

"Am I?" Jacen smiled kindly. "Flynn shares blood with Tenel Ka. Eventually he would want to see what kind of a place his cousin came from and where he could eventually become an heir to the throne should something happen to her."

Vola blinked, obviously not having considered the possibility. "But why would he want me now, after all the trouble I caused."

"Probably the same reason he insisted he still wanted to be your companion after Nom Anor caught you on Yuuzhan'tar, Vola. Flynn loves you, not what you can do for him. I'd have thought you'd be able to see that by now."

She looked down for a moment before meeting his gaze again, and this time, Jacen could see something akin to fright. "But does he just want for because I'm different? Because I'm not like other girls? Or does her really want me just to be a rebel? I don't know anymore, Great One! Flynn-"

"Loves you for you." Jacen was firm, going to sit next to her and taking her hands in his. "Vola. Don't begin to doubt that which has kept the two of you so close over the years. He had his choice of women on Yuuzhan'tar and he chose _you_. That has to mean something."

She was quiet, but nodded.

Jacen squeezed her fingers. "Are you nervous about your wedding?"

She nodded again. "I asked him to wait."

Jacen blinked. "Pardon?"

Vola's blush hit her hairline. "I asked him if we could follow you and She of Flame's example and wait until our marriage. He's agreed to it."

"So you're waiting to consummate your marriage until you're actually married."

She nodded. "But I don't think he's going to want that now, not when I've been close to death for a second time. What am I going to do?"

"Are you scared of Flynn, Vola?"

"Oh no!" She shook her head vehemently. "Never, he's the kindest, most gentle man I've ever met. He'd never do anything to hurt me."

"Then what scares you?" She shrugged, and Jacen didn't need to Force to see this was an uncomfortable topic. "Your wedding night scares you?"

She nodded, her blush deepening. "I... Chell told me what to expect, but..."

"But you don't know if that's what really happens." Jacen sighed. "Vola, would speaking to Tenel Ka about this help?"

"She of Flame?" Vola squeaked, shaking her head. "Oh no, I wouldn't want to burden her with this."

"But she could help you." Jacen's tone was gentle, insistent. "She was once like you are now. I remember the Yuuzhan Vong girl I met speaking with my wife about the intimacies as if she were an old hand, why wouldn't she return the favor?"

"I really didn't know that much." Vola's protest was soft. "I was simply brought up in an atmosphere that told me I should act like I did."

"Is it the lack of knowledge that frightens you? I can get you some education holos."

"Vola ducked her head. "No no, Great One, I wouldn't impose and Flynn could find them."

Jacen chuckled. "Ok, no holos. So what then?"

"Could..." She peaked at him through her lashes uncertainly. "Could I ask you some questions?"

"Why me?"

She shifted in her seat. "You are a man. Flynn is a man. You can help me understand why he does not want me."

"Not want you!" Jacen was incredulous. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

She lowered her gaze to where he still held her hands. "He will not touch me. Not when we are alone. He will not kiss me, not since we left the colony on Yuuzhan'tar. I do not know what has changed."

"Circumstance." Jacen's answer was firm. "Vola, Flynn wants you. Trust me on that one. He wants to be your husband more than anything. But here, among strangers, you two are still alone. You're the two of you against the world. By agreeing to wait until your marriage night to confirm, or deny the rumors you both supposedly know, he can't keep hugging or kissing you."

"But why. Doesn't he love me any more?"

"Too much." Jacen's assurance was quick in coming. "That's why. Do you remember when I was with your party heading towards the city where we met Chell for the first time?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember my strange behavior?"

She nodded.

"Flynn is in the same situation, only this time the place he's lost isn't some place either of you know. It's the galaxy, a huge expansion of stars and peoples who will frown upon your union. He's trying to do the right thing, to honor the commitment you two have made."

"We should just be married and be done with it." Vola slowly extracted her hands from his and stood. "Do you know where he went, Gre-?"

"Jacen." He interrupted her. "Call me Jacen, Vola. You agreed with Flynn that you would."

She swallowed hard. "Do you know where he went, Jacen?"

Jacen stood. "No, but I can find him. I think you two need to have a talk."

Her smile was grateful.

Jacen returned it before letting himself out of the space to find Flynn. "When did I become a glorified delivery boy?" He shook his head at his thoughts and focused on Flynn's Force signature.


	11. Chapter 11

Jacen's discussion with Flynn was quick, short and to the point. So much so that the moment Jacen told the younger man he'd spoken with Vola, Flynn took off at a run towards their quarters without waiting to hear what the discussion had been about.

Jacen grinned, shaking his head as the younger man disappeared. Vola wouldn't doubt Flynn's true feelings for long.

He looked across the ocean where Flynn had been skipping rocks, noting that one area had a hole dug into the sand where the other man had been standing. Apparently Flynn had been here from some time.

Jacen crouched next to the hole and dug once, a small trail of water trickling in behind his finger tips. Deep too. He carefully refilled the hole with surrounding rocks and sand.

His Danger Sense tingled, indicating a threat nearby, but not imminent and he continued in his task. He reached out through the Force to search the surrounding area, appearing to not notice that he was no longer alone.

A child and her mother were around the bend of the beach. Something was in the water, something he couldn't identify. Several guards and palace grounds keepers. Gidden.

His head came up as he sensed Gidden's presence, his Danger Sense flaring again. The danger wasn't directed at him.

"Gidden!" Jacen took off at a run, turning the corner of the beach head in a spray of sand. The Force compelled him to look out into the water as he continued running. A ways down the beach Gidden was swimming towards a tethered raft about ten meters off shore. Jacen noted something in the water behind the laughing, flailing boy as he attempted to keep up with his bodyguards.

Some bodyguards! "Gidden!" He put the Force into his voice to amplify it, trying to get the boy's attention.

Gidden stopped, as if hearing something before Jacen saw him yell at the girls. One was already up on the raft, wringing out her hair, and Jacen saw her eyes widen, even at the distance, as she frantically motioned for Gidden to continue.

Gidden looked behind him, seeing something large and dark coming up from the depths of the water. He screamed as he began flailing, trying to get to the raft more quickly and only succeeding in sending water everywhere.

The girl who was still in the water turned, her quick movements taking her directly to the prince's side as the creature surfaced. She grabbed Gidden and, by some feat of adrenaline powered strength, lifted him bodily out of the water and threw him towards the other bodyguard. As Gidden left her hands, the creature came down, a mass of teeth and thrashing tentacles. Blood sprayed and the girl disappeared under the water with the creature.

Gidden screamed, being silenced as he hit the water only a yard or two away from the attack. The other bodyguard was back in the water as Jacen slid to a stop at the edge of the water, and he saw a dark pool spreading from where the creature and the bodyguard had disappeared.

The bodyguard hooked Gidden in a secure arm hold before taking him back to the raft. She pushed him onto the structure before hauling herself up, her eyes scanning the area around for signs that the creature was coming back.

Gidden huddled on the platform, and Jacen could see the boy shaking. Without a thought, he lifted both Gidden and his bodyguard in a Force grip and telekinetically brought them back to shore.

The bodyguard continued to scan the water once she'd determined that Jacen was the cause of the impromptu flight. Her shoulders slumped as Jacen finally placed them back on shore.

Gidden's eyes were closed and he hugged his legs, slowly rocking back and forth. Tears streaked his cheeks, but Jacen could tell the boy wasn't aware of his surroundings. The towels the three of them had left on the beach were near by and Jacen quickly draped one of Gidden before turning to the bodyguard.

"I'm Tanner, sire." She introduced herself briefly. "Mikalea's still out there, she..." she trailed off as she waved one hand briefly towards the water where the blood stain was beginning to be dispersed by the tides.

Jacen placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Tanner, go get Tenel Ka. Gidden needs her. I'll look for Mikalea."

Tanner's eyes widened. "Oh, you can't, sire! That creature could still be out there."

Jacen's responding smile was small, humorless. "I'm good with creatures like that. Go, time is of the essence. Once you're back, I'll begin my search."

Tanner didn't need more coaxing as she sprinted back up the beach towards the Fountain Palace.

Jacen turned back to Gidden, pulling the boy into his arms and cradling him close. He whispered reassuring words, telling him that he was safe and there was nothing to fear, even as he stretched out to find the creature that had come looking for an easy snack.

Gidden didn't register Jacen's words, but he felt the protective touch, and responded by curling close.

Jacen continued speaking to his surrogate son, and gently stroked his hair, even as he sensed the return of his wife. Tenel Ka's firm grasp brought his eyes to hers. "There's something out there. Mikalea's still somewhere in the water; she sacrificed herself to save Gidden."

Tenel Ka didn't need to hear anymore. She motioned for Jana to assist her in taking Gidden. The boy latched onto the woman who had become his mother figure and clung tightly. Tenel Ka securely wrapped him in her arms and started back up the beach.

Jacen stayed behind, left alone with the tides, and stripped before entering the water.

He couldn't sense the creature anymore, but he knew what he was looking for. He dove into the water several feet out and found the drop off into the depths common to the beaches of Hapes. He surfaced, took a deep breath, and then dove straight down, along the drop off wall, towards the bottom.

Jacen drew on the Force, carefully manipulating it under the water-breathing ability he'd rarely practiced was in place. He swallowed convulsively before opening his mouth to breathe out. He breathed in; expecting water to choke him, only to find it had worked. Relieved, he made a mental note to cancel the power when he was finished or risk being unable to breathe regular oxygen.

His search began in earnest as he reached the bottom. A torn piece of fabric, weighted with metal was his first indicator. A bone, stripped of flesh, followed by more bones, none with flesh, and none indicating they were fresh or old.

Jacen shuddered, knowing he wouldn't find much more beyond these indicators of the girl's fate. He searched anyway, eventually coming across a small, worn object that appeared to be a datarod. He collected it, sliding it into the waist of his underpants, before continuing his search.

Finally, with few other indicators, he came across the pendant all bodyguards were granted at the end of their tenure. He collected it before heading back to the surface. The contents of the datarod might be of interest, but they'd have to wait until they'd held the memorial and funeral for Mikalea.

As he surfaced and let the Force drain away, allowing him to breathe air again, a sense of foreboding was slowly encroaching. Something felt wrong about the whole scene; something wasn't right.

* * *

Tenel Ka was waiting for Jacen when he returned from the beach. Her face was solemn, her eyes hooded and she regarded him from where she was seated on one of the couches in their common area.

Jacen paused inside the doorway of their apartments, feeling that closed gaze. "How is he?"

"Sedated. As is Tanner."

Jacen took a deep breath, meeting her gaze. "Good."

Tenel Ka watched as he came towards her slowly. "How are you, Jacen?"

He smiled faintly for her. "Nothing like watching your adopted son almost be killed by a sea-creature to get the blood pumping."

"You do not think it was an accident." It wasn't a question.

"I don't think Mikalea is dead either." He pulled the data rod from the band of his pants and offered it to her along with Mikalea's pendant. "I think she was a part of this assassination plot."

"And Tanner?" She made no move to accept the items, motioning for him to sit with her.

Jacen placed the two pieces on the table, shaking his head as he settle beside Tenel Ka. "I don't know yet, but I believe your personal guard has been infiltrated by assassins."

"Impossible."

Jacen blinked. "Aren't you a little closed minded, Tenel Ka?" His tone was mild. "It's possible, however improbable, because your guards are trained to mask their thoughts. It's left over from when you mother was in power. Almost all of the guards prior to her inauguration have retired. The new ones have to shield their thoughts from a Jedi, and are trained how. What other place for an Assassin is there than the most trusted position in a household, especially ours?"

Her shoulders dropped for a moment before she squared them again. "I do not believe Jana and Scruffy would not be able to locate possible traitors. My - Our guards have been carefully screened before they are trained. There are not that many."

Jacen reached out to take her hand. "I know that, Tenel Ka, but what if Scruffy or Jana were in on the plot?"

She was silent, regarding him neutrally.

Jacen lifted his free hand to stroke her face. "I don't believe Jana could be in on it; not with the trouble she went to, to achieve this end. I don't know Scruffy, not well; I only met her this morning. She's... shifty."

"I do not think you realize what you are implying, Jacen."

"I know, and I don't like it any more than you, only Gidden almost got caught in the middle of this war today and just about lost his life. If the guards, or some of them are in on it, they're in the perfect position to act."

"Then why wait until Ta'a Chume was toppled from power?"

He shrugged. "Maybe they were hoping she'd kill me and do their dirty work for them. Either way, if they waited because they felt it wasn't yet time, or if they waited in the hopes someone would kill me for them, their plans have failed."

Tenel Ka's gaze dropped to their twined fingers. "You believe the attack today was deliberate. I cannot. Creatures from these oceans cannot be controlled as a pet. They are wild."

"With enough incentive anything is possible..." Jacen sighed. "I don't like it anymore than you do, my love. I don't like the thought of having to watch my back, or the thought that I can't trust the very people who are supposed to keep Gidden safe when we're otherwise occupied. All the clues point to this being the only option. Unless the Yuuzhan Vong have suddenly decided they don't like me and are trying to get rid of me." He grinned. "I find that highly unlikely."

"But probable." Her tone was dry. "Perhaps we should begin a separate investigation?"

Jacen shook his head. "No. If it is the core of guards at the bottom of it, they'd learn about it and then you'd become a target too. I'll keep poking around, but it might be safer if Gidden were to come sleep with us for a while. The window is barricaded, the only way in is through one of us or Jana. Not only would it limit who had access, but we'd be better able to observe him."

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "Those steps have already been taken. Jana suggested them."

Jacen didn't look overly thrilled but nodded. "Jana's sensible. I_believe_ we can trust her, but I'm not certain." He rakes a hand through his hair. "I don't like this, Tenel Ka. I don't like it at all. I shouldn't be doubting Jana's loyalty."

"There are precedents." She shrugged. "The Hapan court is full of them. If Jana wanted power, dispatching the consort and placing one of her choosing, whom she favored, would be logical."

"The only problem was I _was_ the consort of her choosing for you." Jacen grimaced. "That doesn't help much, does it."

"It means, Jacen that Jana is trustworthy as her choice is already my consort." Tenel Ka spoke deliberately, as if formulating the arguments as she was even digesting the disturbing new he'd brought. "In turn, we can trust her with our lives and Gidden's life. She is trained to deal with these situations."

"But can she be trusted with the suspicions I have of Scruffy?"

Tenel Ka was quiet for a long moment before nodding once. "Yes. It may give Jana the opportunity to replace Scruffy, but she must be told."

Jacen pushed himself to his feet. "You tell her then; I'm going to check on Gidden."

Tenel Ka watched him go, her face impassive.

Jacen closed the door to their bed chamber, looking at the small figure tucked snugly into their bed. He felt the shaking starting again and firmly disciplined himself against it. Collapsing wouldn't help now. He moved away from the door, his tread soft as he moved to the side and carefully sat next to the child.

Gidden's chest rose and fell evenly, betraying his deepness of sleep. Jacen gently pushed the child's wayward hair off his face and brushed a hand over his cheek. "I'm sorry about today, Son." His voice was soft and trembled slightly. "I'm sorry you had to see what you did; to see one of the guards who'd become your friend die like that. I'm sorry that we're about to tip your world upside down again and reinforce the prejudices you were brought up with. I didn't want this for you. I wanted you to be able to view the world, the galaxy, in the way I did at your age. With innocence and trust."

Jacen sighed, watching as Gidden didn't even twitch. "I'm sorry you've seen death. No child your age should have to. No child at any age should see the things you have seen. I wish I could have protected you from that. I'm sorry I can't protect you from what's coming. I can feel it; your mother can feel it. Something is happening here that is going to get messy and you and I are in the middle of it."

Jacen fell silent for a long minute, simply listening to the even breathing of the sleeping child. He leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on Gidden's forehead. "The Force is with you, Gidden, sleep deeply and let it take this pain. Let it guide you. Sleep son, we'll be here when you wake."

* * *

Tenel Ka hadn't moved when Jacen emerged from their bed chamber.

Jacen met her gaze with a smile. "I think he'll be alright. He's a tough kid and learned to shield himself from things like this at a young age."

"Too young." Her tone held a note of sadness. "He will not like you accusing Jana of this plot. He has become very attached to her."

"So don't tell him." Jacen returned to his seat next to her. "He's a smart kid, but I don't want him doubting those people he thinks of as his friends. Tanner should be allowed to visit him too. It'll be good for them both."

"Even if you do not believe her partner is dead?"

Jacen's smile faded. "I'm not so sure one way or the other, it just seems very convenient, that's all. But a part of the healing process is facing those events and both of them will need each other. Besides, Tanner is still very much a child herself. I doubt her training prepared her for the viciousness of that creature's attack."

"Fact." Tenel Ka cocked her head at him. "There is something else on your mind."

Jacen grimaced. "I was trying to think quietly."

"Impossible."

"Just worried, that's all. Uncle Luke should be here tomorrow with Ben and Aunt Mara. I'm not too sure how Gidden will react after his vision concerning Ben, especially after today."

"I will deal with Gidden. You must deal with Master Skywalker and tell him of that vision so they are not surprised."

Jacen smiled faintly. "You've got a point. But I can't very well just tell him and then kick him out. It wouldn't be very hospitable of me to invite them all this way for this."

"They are coming of their own accord. We did not invite them."

"You're beautiful when you're wrong." He grinned, seeing her eyebrows arch. "The invite was implied, if not explicit due to the nature of the information." He leaned forward. "I just don't like the idea of putting them in the middle of this. Especially not when we don't know what's really happening just yet."

Tenel Ka chuckled. "Both Master Skywalkers can take care of themselves, Jacen. You are worrying too much. Perhaps a sparring match will better equip you to deal with the stress of Hapan politics."

Jacen grinned, feeling suddenly sheepish. "I'm being a worry wart, aren't I?"

"Fact." Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

"Instead of a sparring match, how about a holo?" He glanced at the bedroom door, not quite willing to be as far away as the sparring mat just yet. "I hear they're doing a special on war heroes this week."

She nodded. "That is acceptable. Your distance is not. I command your presence - as close as possible."

He grinned and scooted over, putting his arm around her shoulders as she pressed a button to turn on the holonet. Cuddling close, Jacen allowed himself to relax and enjoy her company. Worry would make him old before his time and he was determined not to let it encroach too far.

* * *

Jacen was out the next morning when Vola arrived with a tentative knock on the door.

Tenel Ka was seated on the same loveseat she and Jacen had spent the night on. A very good night. She motioned for the young Yuuzhan Vong to enter. "Come in, Vola. We do not stand on ceremony with friends."

Vola stepped in hesitantly. "I'm not interrupting?"

"You are not." Tenel Ka smiled a small smile. "I am pleased to see you. Please," she indicated a chair opposite her.

Vola gratefully sank into it. "Thank you, She of Flame. I hate to admit it, but I'm still recovering."

"You are looking very well for someone who has survived my... who has survived Ta'a Chume's ministrations."

Vola smiled faintly. "Thanks to... Jacen."

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow, amused. "No longer 'Great One'?" Her teasing was gentle and completely unexpected.

Vola blinked before a blush colored her cheeks. "Flynn doesn't want me calling him that. He said it makes me feel inadequate." Her purple and gold eyes danced. "And Jacen has also asked I call him by name."

"And do you not know my name?"

Vola's flush increased. "Does my name for you offend you?"

Tenel Ka shook her head once. "It does not. I am simply more comfortable with my friends calling me by my given name."

Vola ducked her head. "Sorry."

"Why apologize for things you did not know?" Tenel Ka's tone was laced with amusement. "Are you honestly well, my friend?"

Vola nodded vigorously. "Oh yes, very well indeed. Flynn's been marvelous since I came out of the coma!"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow and Vola realized what she must sound like.

"Oh! I don't mean that he... that we..."

Tenel Ka chuckled softly. "You do not need to explain, Vola. Have you come for company or is there a more pressing reason behind your visit?"

Vola's face was suffused with blood in embarrassment. Tenel Ka's calm question did much to balance her mind. "Sorry, I didn't mean to drop in on you like this, but..." She shrugged helplessly. "I wanted to talk to you. You know, woman to woman. I saw you with Jacen back on Yuuzhan'tar, I know it wasn't easy being so close to each other and being so..."

"Chaste?"

Vola nodded. "Yeah. Do you think... do you think Flynn and I will be able to have a baby like you and Jacen?"

"Why would you not be?"

"Well..." Vola ducked her head. "It's been suggested that Yuuzhan Vong aren't close enough to human to have a child together."

"I see."

"Am I crazy to want that?" Vola's voice was full of uncertainty. "Flynn's made it abundantly clear that he'll love me even if I can't give him a child, but I want to have his baby!"

Tenel Ka reached across to grasp the younger woman's hand tightly. "I believe I understand."

Vola clutched Tenel Ka's fingers as if they were a life line. "I knew you would, you must have wanted Jacen's child so badly..." she trailed off, flushing again.

Tenel Ka's lips twitched. "Would you believe me if I told you I had not intended to give him a son or daughter this soon?"

"Uh..." Vola bit her lip, shaking her head tentatively.

"These things happen." Tenel Ka winked at the younger woman, drawing a shocked look. "Jacen has been marvelous. I trust, with this wish, that you do not mind the complications that may come with the condition?"

"Oh no. I'd suffer through the whole underground mess again if it meant being able to carry his kid." Her cheeks were red, but her gaze was firm. "Wouldn't you?"

Tenel Ka extracted her hand and shrugged. "I do not know. I do know that it is a... pleasurable experience obtaining that child." Her eyes were almost dancing. "I understand Flynn has taken a vow to imitate Jacen's honor."

Vola laughed. "He did... but I made him break it last night. I couldn't help it."

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "You took him to your bed?"

"No, I cornered him in his." Vola's grin was cheeky, not the least bit abashed.

"Vola!" Tenel Ka looked shocked.

Vola giggled. "I couldn't help it. I admit I was sore this morning though; some of my wounds sure ache. Flynn's insisting we move the wedding up, I don't suppose we could impose on you and Jacen to find us an official?"

Tenel Ka was busy turning over the startling revelation about her friend in her mind, but training allowed her to answer with poise. "Of course. We would be delighted. Have you a location for a honeymoon picked out?"

"Flynn said something about an... island with a view?" She sounded uncertain, as if she didn't know if she was repeating what she'd heard correctly. "Something about needing to get out of the palace due to problems."

"Someone is trying to kill Jacen and Gidden." Tenel Ka shrugged, as if dismissing it as a minor problem. "They will not succeed. Flynn is correct. We would feel better having the both of you out of harm's way."

"Then you won't mind if we want to borrow your island for a honeymoon?"

"I would be delighted if you would." Tenel Ka smiled for her, to show her relief and happiness. "I trust you will not mind the guard contingent on hand to ensure your safety?"

"We probably won't notice." Vola grinned, getting to her feet. "I wouldn't want to miss the birth of your child though. When are you due?"

"Several months." Tenel Ka placed a hand over her gently swollen abdomen. "Enough time for you two to enjoy each other. When did you have in mind?"

"As soon as we can." Vola's smile was brilliant. "Flynn wants to set matters to rights. I should have cornered him ages ago!"

"Mamma?"

Tenel Ka's response was cut short by the uncertain, almost piteous call from the bedchamber door. She whipped around, seeing an ashen Gidden holding onto the doorframe for support. Tenel Ka didn't remember getting to her feet, or moving, but Gidden was suddenly in her arms, being tightly held as she crouched next to him. "I am here, Gidden."

Gidden buried his head in her shoulder, shaking. "Was it all a bad dream? Is Mikalea alright?"

Tenel Ka met Vola's gaze over the child's head. Vola's mouth was slightly agape, but she closed it with a snap before coming over to help comfort the child. Her silent support bolstered Tenel Ka.

"No, little one. Mikalea is not alright. She will not be coming back."

"She's gone?" Gidden's voice trembled and she could feel his tears on her skin.

Tenel Ka gently stroked his curls, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Yes, Gidden. Mikalea will not be able to play with you anymore."

He sobbed softly, hugging her tightly. Tenel Ka picked him up and turned to Vola.

Vola smiled weakly and indicated she would wait until Tenel Ka was finished.

Tenel Ka carried Gidden back into the bedroom and placed sat on the bed with him in her lap. She rocked him back and forth, a touch awkwardly, but not saying anything as she allowed him to cry. He needed the release.

He sniffled after several moments of sobbing, pulling back to wipe his nose on the sleeve of his sleeping shirt. "Is sadness the darkside, Mamma?"

"No, Gidden." She gently kissed his forehead, her hand on the middle of his back to steady him. "It is a part of life. I too, was sad when my friends have been taken from me. You will learn to accept her sacrifice, and to thank her and the Force for being such a good friend. She has saved you; given you a gift."

"I..." he sniffled again. "I would rather have her back."

"I know." She pulled him close again so she could stroke his hair some more, the simple action seeming to calm and comfort him.

He was quiet for a long time, the sound of sniffling her only indication he was still awake. Finally, he pulled away to wipe his eyes and nose again and hug her tightly. "I want to sleep some more."

She let him go so he could crawl back under the covers, sensing that his sorrow hadn't yet lifted, but that he was closer to recovering from the shock. She tucked him in, brushing his hair back from his face. "Sleep well, Gidden. We will be nearby if you need us."

His smile was almost angelic and held less grief and stress than it had the night before. She waited until his eyes closed again and his breathing settled into an even pattern before slipping out of the room.

Vola was waiting for her when she appeared, a cup of caf in one hand. "Are you alright?"

Tenel Ka gratefully accepted the cup and took a bracing sip. "Gidden was attacked by a sea creature yesterday. It killed one of his body guards - in front of him."

Vola's hand went to her throat. "How terrible! Is he alright?"

Tenel Ka nodded once. "He will be. Sleep is kinder for him at this moment. Come, I believe we were planning your wedding."

* * *

Gidden's eventual recovery from the shock of Mikalea's death took less time then either Tenel Ka or Jacen would have guessed at the outset. Jana had been amused, but not surprised, by Gidden's recovery and had informed them both that children were exceptional when it came to adapting and bouncing back from trauma. Getting him in the water would be a real test.

The following day, Jacen led an anxious Gidden to their practice arena, mats set out to cover the floor, with a grin. "Is your mother teaching you self-defense, son?"

Gidden nodded. "Mamma's real good. Fast too; I can't ever hit her."

"Not unless she wants you too, you mean."

Gidden nodded again. "Yup! Are you teaching me now, Jay-sin?"

Jacen suppressed a sigh, a part of him jealous that Gidden would call Tenel Ka mother and still address him, Jacen, by his given name. He supposed he should be grateful - it meant he'd have to earn the trust of the tyke to get the same privilege. "Yes, Gidden, I'm going to take over your training. Tenel Ka really shouldn't be straining herself; she _is_ pregnant you know."

"I know!" Gidden grinned. "I'm going to have baby sisters!"

"Sisters?" Jacen smiled, "More than one?"

Gidden nodded. "Yup, yup. Me... I'll be a good big brother." His little chest puffed out proudly. "Teach em to disappear into a crowd, not even mamma know how to do that. Need to be small."

"That you are, son. Shall we begin?"

"What are we learning today, Jay-sin?"

"We're going to teach you some self-defense, my young friend." Jacen smiled at the excited look that lit the boy's eyes. "Only you have a very good self-preservation skill already, so we're going to start with some basics of lightsaber combat. Now." Jacen called a pulled a couple of stun sabers from his belt and offered one to Gidden. "I've seen you wield impromptu weapons and this may be moving a little fast, but you've got to learn how to use your powers. It could mean the difference between another deadly incident and avoiding one."

Gidden's face fell. "Me don't wanna loose Tanner!"

Jacen ruffled the boy's hair. "Then be diligent, learn all you can and it won't happen."

Determination settled across Gidden's features as he flicked the power button for the stun saber.

Jacen took Gidden through some of the basics. How to hold the blade, giving him the chance to experiment against a padded dummy and do some rudimentary blows. They practiced stance, modifying the footwork to favor Gidden's slightly longer leg. He proved adept at the hand work, but his handicap was discouraging. He continually tripped over his feet trying to mimic Jacen's fluid steps, his shorter leg unable to make the extensions necessary when thrusting.

Gidden practiced over and over again, his shoulder becoming bruised despite the mat at his multiple tumbles. Finally, after hitting the ground hard, he burst into tears, throwing the stun saber away.

Jacen closed down his own weapon and knelt in front of him. "Gidden."

"I can't do it!" Gidden's wail was plaintive, and his lip trembled as fat tears slid down his face. "Me too clumsy!"

Jacen smiled, gently brushing a tear off his cheek. "You can do it. I know you can. You're just trying to use abilities I've used for ages instead of coming up with your own. I'm right handed; you're left. You can make your own style if what we're doing doesn't work for you."

Gidden sniffed, wiping his nose on the sleeve of his shirt. "I can?"

Jacen nodded. "You can. You can even use that small absorb power of yours to make the impact of hitting the mat so much hurt less."

"Really?" Gidden sniffled again, pushing himself to his feet. "Me hadn't thought of that, Jay-sin."

Jacen held up his hand. "You hadn't thought of what, using your powers?"

Gidden shrieked, but with glee, as Jacen telekinetically lifted him off the ground. "I can't do that one though."

Jacen winked at him. "I know a Jedi that can't do telekinetic either and Corran Horn has found out how to turn energy into this power. I'm not exactly sure how he does it, but I bet if you try real hard, you'll figure it out."

Gidden hopped across the room as Jacen put him down to collect his stun saber. "I'm a smart boy, I'll figure it out!"

"I just bet you will. Now, instead of following all of my movements exactly, just use them as a basis for your own. You can copy them if you find it doesn't make things harder."

"Ok!"

Gidden resumed his stance with Jacen, and slowly began to improvise.

Over the course of the afternoon and several false starts, Gidden found a style of his own for footwork. It complimented his handicap, and while not as fluid as Jacen's movements, allowed him to do the majority of the moves slowly and without mishap.

Tenel Ka was waiting for them when they returned to the room and Gidden ran for her, enveloping her in a fierce hug. "Mamma! Jay-sin teach me how to use your lightsaber today. Me good, me very good, watch!"

Tenel Ka turned an amused look to Jacen.

"You're not watching Mamma!"

Tenel Ka obediently turned her eyes back to the boy as Jacen came to her side, sliding an arm around her shoulders as Gidden demonstrated his new, slow footwork. He went through a whole sequence, his brown knotted with concentration, his tongue sticking out one side of his mouth as he went through the drill without mishap. He even pretended to be wielding a blade, doing the blocks and parries while moving backward, and finishing with a slow lunge that didn't send him toppling to the mat.

Jacen clapped and Tenel Ka held out her hand to Gidden, who was beaming with pride at having completed the whole drill. Gidden took her hand and was pulled into a firm hug. "Very good, Gidden."

Gidden grinned up at her, hugging her back before pulling away. "I gotta go practice. Jay-sin says I need to be fast, right?"

"You got it kid."

Gidden darted out of the room and headed for the infirmary where Tanner was still under sedation. "I gotta show Tanner!"

The door slid shut behind him and Tenel Ka turned to Jacen, arching an eyebrow. "I trust your day was eventful?"

Jacen grinned at her almost as boyishly as Gidden had. "He's a great kid. Learns quickly, but I don't know if he'll ever be able to do lightsaber combat at the speeds he'd need to, even for training. That slightly longer leg is killing his ability to move quickly and improvise. He's always watching where his feet are put."

"Is that why some of those moves were unconventional?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm hoping practice will help him with the training, but in a real fight." Jacen shrugged. "I just don't know."

"Give him time, love." Tenel Ka reached up to gently cup his face. "Gidden will surprise us both, I think."

Jacen covered her hand with his. "He already has. He said he's going to be a big brother - twice over."

Tenel Ka blinked. "Twins?"

Jacen nodded, seeing the fear lurking in the depths of her gray eyes that mirrored his own. She was quick to shake it off, her smile appearing as the news sank in. "We had best start thinking about names, daddy."

Jacen allowed himself to be pulled to the sofa where the datapad she'd been working with had been left on the cushions. She handed it to him, humor lurking about her lips.

Jacen read the title and groaned. "Vola helped you with Baby names? We don't even know if Gidden's right yet, I mean, you could be carrying quintuplets for all we know!"

Tenel Ka's smile disappeared. "I do not think I could handle five children without help."

"And I'm a talking mynock?"

"At times." She took back the datapad as he blinked in surprise. "Vola and Flynn wish to be married immediately and to use the Island Fortress as a honeymoon. I see no reason to deny them either."

"What a second, you called me a talking mynock."

"I simply agreed with you." Her eyes danced and she enjoyed his sudden mock-hurt look. "Can we not focus, Jacen, the child will need a name, boy or girl. This is a Fact."

Her oft said phrase from childhood restored his equilibrium. He grinned. "Sorry, I just can't get over it when you tease me. It's such a rare occurrence."

"One that will become extinct if you continue to react in such a fashion." Her tone was dry. "The names, Jacen?"

"Oh, right. I was thinking..." he trailed off and then blushed, color tinting his cheeks. "Actually I haven't thought about names at all. Not even for one child, though I think there's a good chance of twins since that seems to be the family heritage."

Tenel Ka offered him the datapad again. "It is best we begin thinking about it."

Jacen sat with her on the couch and began reading the list wondering, even as he did so, what would happen if she was carrying a boy if they settled on girls names.


	12. Chapter 12

Gidden's lesson the following morning had a surprise for Jacen. Gidden, having practices for a good portion of the evening and when he was supposed to have been sleeping, made it through the drill with credible speed.

In fact, Gidden went so far as to challenge Jacen to a mock duel using the drill.

Jacen swung his blade at the up-point in the drill, expecting to catch Gidden's blade squarely and parry. Instead, the boy caught the stun saber on his arm and turned it aside in the right parry before taking the initiative as the drill demanded. Jacen frowned.

"Gidden, are you alright?"

"Yup." His reply was short as he concentrated, intercepting the next blow on his forearm again.

Jacen lowered his saber, but raised it quickly when Gidden made to attack again. "What are you doing, son?"

"Experimenting!" Gidden's voice held a hard note, indicating he was concentrating hard.

The next time their sabers crossed, Jacen felt the mat shift under his feet. "What the Force?"

Gidden's next blow came straight for his chest even as the mat stopped moving and Jacen turned away, stepping out of their challenge mode. "Ok, wait a second kid. What just happened?"

"I tried to pull the mat out from under you." Gidden frowned down at the offending mat. "It didn't work."

"You absorbed the energy and tried to use it as telekinesis?"

Gidden nodded. "Me... I thought about your story about the Jedi you know. You told it after you told me I should absorb the blows. I thought I could use my mind to move something if I let you hit me with something powerful."

Jacen chuckled. "A stun saber isn't very powerful, Gidden. Good try though; you caught me off guard with it."

Gidden turned off his stun saber and grinned. "I did, huh? Good! Maybe people don't know and me... and I can use that trick later."

Jacen ruffled his hair. "We've visitors landing today kid; I think that's enough for now. You've come a long way since yesterday."

"I practice real hard! Tanner say... she say I be big help. That I learn real hard and be a good self-guard. I don't wanna make her job harder."

"You won't. How about a swim before we hit the showers?"

Gidden's face fell. "Me no like the water no more."

"In the pool?"

Gidden hesitated and Jacen took his hand. "Come on. The indoor pool doesn't have any hazards. There's plenty of time to get you back in the ocean."

Gidden went along reluctantly, silently hoping Tanner wouldn't mind their destination as she was supposed to join him once the session was over. He grinned. For a girl, Tanner was pretty cool.

* * *

The hatch on the _Jade Saber_ was slow to open, and Jacen counseled himself to patience. His Uncle and Aunt were here, as was his cousin Ben, and they'd come because of his message. A few more minutes before embarking wouldn't kill him.

He smiled wryly as the hiss of the compensators was clearly audible. For a Jedi, he should learn some patience.

"Jacen."

"I know, I know." He smiled at Tenel Ka, one eye on the ship. "Wishing doesn't make it go any faster."

Her face was solemn, even though her eyes held a hint of humor. "I was thinking your Aunt would not like it if you damage her ship."

He chuckled. "True enough." He reached out to clasp her hand, squeezing her fingers. "I only hope they can help with Gidden."

"They appear to have succeeded with us. He will not be so difficult."

They continued to wait in silence for a few more moments before Luke Skywalker finally appeared at the top of the ramp, a smile on his face. "Belated congratulations to the both of you!"

Jacen returned the smile, stepping forward with Tenel Ka to greet his Uncle. "Thanks, Uncle Luke. Welcome to Hapes."

"And a Royal one at that."

"We do not stand on ceremony, Master." Tenel Ka's lips twitched as she said his title.

Luke chuckled. "Me either, Tenel Ka, you've both earned the right to call me Luke a long time ago. I seem to recall asking that you use my name."

She inclined her head at the reprimand. "Old habits are hard to break."

"So it would seem."

Mara appeared at the top of the ramp, a bundle of squirming energy in her arms. Jacen left his wife with his uncle and jumped forward to intercept her. "Ben!"

Ben shrieked, holding his arms out to Jacen and squirming to be held by him, babbling in baby talk. A small, white plush animal vaguely resembling a Wampa Creature dangled from one hand.

Mara shifted Ben on her hip and cocked her head at Jacen. "You greet your cousin before you greet me?"

Jacen enveloped Mara in a surprise hug, Ben reaching up to wrap his little arms around his cousin's neck. "Welcome to Hapes, Aunt Mara. Did you enjoy your trip?"

"It could have been a lot worse." Her dry response was followed with Ben being scooped up in Jacen's arms with a shriek of excitement. "I'm glad to see Ben remembers you at any rate."

"As if he could forget the cousin who made him the stuffed Wampa he loves so much!"

Mara smiled, extending her hand to Tenel Ka as they reached the bottom of the ramp and leaving Ben in Jacen's arms. "Queen Mother, it's good to see you."

"Fact, Master Jade-Skywalker." Tenel Ka's handshake was warm, though her face was impassive as usual. "We are honored you could come."

Mara slanted a look at Luke. "Luke couldn't pass up the chance to meet this intriguing fellow Jacen wrote us about. This Force sensitive child who sees visions of Jedi, or Force Sensitive's he hasn't met yet."

"Ah. Aha." Tenel Ka nodded once, knowingly. "This is why you sent a message back and not Master Skywalker?"

Mara blinked before grinning. "Touché. I suspect there's bigger news than just a single _found_ Force Sensitive Child."

Tenel Ka slanted a look at Jacen before meeting Mara's gaze again. "Fact."

Mara pulled Tenel Ka into a surprise hug. "Congratulations. You'll both make wonderful parents."

Tenel Ka awkwardly returned the hug before pulling away. She cleared her throat. "Our thanks. If you will follow us, we shall show you to your rooms."

"Should we grab our luggage?" Luke looked back over his shoulder towards their ship.

Jacen chuckled, tickling Ben on the chin. "Don't worry about your things, Uncle Luke. Our entourage will make sure they end up in your room."

"That's what I'm afraid of!"

* * *

"Tenel Ka, this is Ben." Jacen smiled at his wife, displaying his cousin. Ben, chewing on one furry paw of the stuffed toy, smiled toothlessly at Tenel Ka.

Tenel Ka reached out hesitantly before pulling her hand back. "How does one greet such a small child?"

Jacen ruffled the red mop on Ben's head. "Like that."

Tenel Ka gently smoothed Ben's hair, drawing a giggle from him as Ben hid his face behind his stuffed toy. Tenel Ka, disarmed by his charming giggle, stared at him enchanted.

Jacen chuckled. "Would you like to hold him?"

"I had best not." She reluctantly declined, casting a glance at the Skywalkers who were going over Jacen's notes on Gidden. "I would drop him."

Jacen placed Ben on the floor and the toddler crawled towards his parents, the stuffed toy dragging along behind him. "Mamma!"

Tenel Ka stepped closer to Jacen. "Is Gidden so certain we are to have daughters?"

Jacen chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, charmed by her reaction to Ben. "Don't tell me you want a son now too."

She slanted a look at him, watching as Mara picked Ben up in her arms and snuggled him before continuing her discussion with Luke. Ben placed his head on his mother's shoulder and popped one thumb into his mouth, closing his eyes. "Do you not want a son?"

"Besides Gidden?" Jacen placed a kiss on her cheek. "I'd love as many children as we can have Tenel Ka, but I'd rather have you, if having them were a danger to your health."

She leaned into his embrace, waiting for Luke and Mara to finish going over their notes.

Several minutes later, Mara got to her feet, Ben still in her arms, and headed for the bedroom. Presumably to put Ben to bed and Tenel Ka followed, thoroughly enchanted with the young boy.

Jacen slid into the space his aunt had vacated, waiting for Luke to start.

Luke flipped through several of the hand-written pages on the table. "I see you've got one promising student here, Jacen."

"I was hoping you'd say that. Gidden's shown an aptitude for certain areas, but has no telekinetic abilities as of yet."

Luke chuckled. "Neither did yours until you were older. Give him time - he may yet develop them."

"I have my doubts about that, Uncle Luke, but you're the Master."

"If worse comes to worse, Corran have take a crack at him."

Jacen grinned. "I was thinking about raising and training him here, actually. At least until Gidden's old enough to be trained at the new academy."

"We don't even know we're setting up a new Academy, yet Jacen. We don't quite yet know where we stand."

Jacen waved it away as unimportant. "When ever and where ever you decide to build it, Gidden will need to be trained. That's not really the reason I've asked you and Aunt Mara here though."

"So I heard. This Gidden, when do we meet him?"

"Tonight. For the moment I thought it prudent to keep him away from Ben. I don't know how he'll react seeing as how he's already had problems with visions of Ben pulling a lightsaber on Anakin and Kyp."

Luke's eyebrows almost hit his hairline. "Indeed! It would certainly take a strong Jedi to catch either one of them off guard."

"I know. Hence my concern and message. Gidden believes Ben is going to be a threat. Having said that, I know the future is always in motion, so by telling you this I hope to avoid that particular possibility."

Luke nodded. "I agree wholeheartedly. That's not the only reason you've asked us here though."

Jacen felt like a kid again, on trial for wielding his Uncle's lightsaber and resisted the urge to squirm. This time, he hadn't done anything wrong! "Tenel Ka's carrying our child, possibly children. Gidden is adamant she's carrying at the very least twin girls."

Luke blinked before a wide grin crossed his face. "Then congratulations are in order!"

Jacen smiled, almost sheepishly. "Thanks. I'm just worried about Gidden's predictions. He's often spoken of a brown haired, grey eyed little girl and while she sounds absolutely adorable, I don't want to get my hopes up."

"You haven't been able to confirm the prediction?"

Jacen felt a blush heat his cheeks. "She's not much more than three months along, Uncle Luke, as far as we can tell anyway. We're not sure if we'd be able to tell at this point."

"Not even with the Force?"

"I'm scared to try." The admission was soft.

"Why?"

Jacen shrugged uncomfortably. "I think I don't want to be responsible for more than one life at a time."

"You don't apparently have much choice." Luke told him, mildly amused. "Gidden may be correct in his prediction, not for this pregnancy, but for the next one."

"The next one." Jacen echoed the thought with seemingly mild horror.

Luke grinned. "You're young and the chemistry between the two of you has always been good. Whose to say you won't have more children?"

Jacen licked his lips. "One at a time, Uncle Luke, I'm still trying to adapt to Gidden, let alone my own flesh and blood."

Luke pulled the papers in front of him, carefully scanning the notes as he changed the topic and stopped teasing his nephew. "It says here he's learned to hide in plain sight. Is he affecting the minds of the people around him when he does it?"

"I'm not too certain. I think he does it by illusion, making it look like he's not there by altering his appearance to the casual eye. I know that a Force Sensitive person can see through his illusions; we did down in the caverns when he made himself appear larger, but we were pretty far away. He's either more powerful than you to affect those hundreds of people, or he's doing something else."

"I see." Luke carefully scanned the papers again. "So what exactly are you asking of me, Jacen? You didn't call me here to take him back to the academy and you don't want me taking over his training."

Jacen shrugged. "I was hoping you could give me some pointers for helping train him." His admission was easy, completely at ease with asking for help. "The visions are a little difficult to understand sometimes, but Tenel Ka told me a lot of them have to deal with his past. For such a young kid, he's been through a lot."

"Not unlike your friend Zekk, hmm?"

Jacen grinned. "True enough; the two of them would likely relate."

"Would you mind if we bring him in?" Luke watched Jacen's face carefully. "He's been instrumental in helping the orphans of the war. He'd probably be more help to you than I would in this."

"No problem here; old friends are always welcome."

* * *

Tenel Ka watched Mara place Ben in his crib. "Are you not nervous?"

Mara glanced up at her niece-in-law and smiled. "No, Tenel Ka. I never used to think I had mothering instincts, but they don't let you harm your child."

Tenel Ka's hand moved to her slightly swollen belly. "I do not..."

Mara gently pulled Ben's blanket up to his chin, smoothing his unruly red hair back from his face. "You'll make a wonderful mother, Tenel Ka. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Is _is_ bad for the baby you know."

Tenel Ka flushed uncharacteristically at the reprimand.

Mara pretended not to notice as she continued to tuck Ben in. "I know you're nervous. I was too. I sometimes think the Emperor did too good of a job with my training." She finally straightened and waved Tenel Ka into the adjoining sitting room, away from Luke and Jacen so they could talk. "There's something else you wanted to speak with me about."

"Master Skywalker - Mara." Tenel Ka started and then paused. "I do not know where to start." Her admission was soft.

Mara closed the door behind them slightly, enough so that they would hear Ben if he needed something. "There's no rush. Luke and I can stay as long as you need us."

"You are welcome to stay as long as you would like, though that may not be advisable."

Mara arched and eyebrow. "More assassination and kidnap attempts?"

"How..." Tenel Ka blinked before nodding once. "Many more. The reforms Jacen and I are introducing have not found favor with many of the ruling houses."

"And you're worried that might cause you to miscarry." Mara's statement caught Tenel Ka off guard again. "I'm a Jedi Master, Queen Mother, it take a lot to surprise me."

Tenel Ka inclined her head at the rebuke. "We apologize, Master Skywalker."

Mara chuckled. "Ok, all this formality is making my stomach twist. Why'd you really follow me back here?"

"I do not know if I am ready to become a Mother."

"You mean, you're not sure if you'll ever be ready." Mara's smile was kind. "Tenel Ka, no woman is ever really ready for motherhood. Sometimes it's planned, but they're terrified. Ask Leia sometime. Jaina and Jacen were aplanned, at least..." Her grin was wry. "One of them was at any rate. Leia was still scared until they were actually placed in her arms. She was in much the same position you are now with people trying to kidnap her babies before they were born. She's really better equipped to talk to you about this too."

Tenel Ka shrugged. "She is not here."

"And I am." Mara's response was dry. "Thanks. Don't worry about the future, Tenel Ka. You're not only the baby's mother, but you're a fully trained Jedi Knight. You're more than equipped to deal with parent hood. Especially with that nephew of mine as your husband."

Tenel Ka's eyes sparkled. "He certain ensured that was the case, did he not?"

Mara laughed. "And they say Hapan nobles have no sense of humor!"

"Living with Jacen, it is hard to not have one!"

"Well said, Tenel Ka." Mara pushed to her feet. "We should get back to Jacen and Luke and talk about this boy you've decided to take in. It's possible he's too old to benefit from the academy's training - once it's been set up again."

Tenel Ka motioned for Mara to leave the way. Yet her doubts and fears were still there. Jacen was so certain they'd be good parents. Were they really ready?

* * *

The door slid silently open, dull light from somewhere in the adjoining hall briefly illuminating a small figure before they became lost in shadows and the door slid shut once more.

The humm of power conduits was the only sound in the living room as the figured crept slowly from shadow to shadow. Barely audible breathing could be heard as the figure crept into the nearby hallway and froze. The sound of the sleeping individuals rolling in their sheets, the soft rustle of fabric, and then silence once more.

The figure resumed their slow pace, turning away from the large room, and moving towards the smaller. The door had been left ajar, the blinds pulled low. The figure slowly pushed the door closed behind them, and it clicked softly in the place.

The figure jerked at the sound, freezing as they strained for any sign that the sound had been heard.

Several long, tense moments passed, their heart pounding in their ears, before a silent breath was released. Nothing. No sound of persuit, no feet pounding on the ground indicating they'd been found out. They turned from the door, brown eyes alighting on the low crib in the corner. Slowly, they advanced, moving silently to the edge of the crib.

Red curls topped an innocent face deep in slumber. Small hands were curled around a blanket, drool sliding from between the baby's lips.

"Ben." The baby's name was soft, almost regretful on the intruder's lips.

The baby didn't stir, but his brow creased as if sensing a sudden threat.

Small, child-like hands reached over the edge of the crib to gently play with one red curl, tears forming in the brown eyes. "I sorry. I... You can't hurt Kyp and Anakin."

The same small hands grasped the nearby pillow, a sob catching in their throat as slowly, hesitantly, the pillow moved towards the baby's face.

* * *

Tenel Ka woke without knowing why. Her eyes opened clearly, free from the haziness which sometimes accompanied a sudden awakening. Jacen slept on beside her, oblivious to whatever had woken her. She felt uneasy and her hand crept down to her slightly swollen abdomen. The child lay still, not the cause of her anxiety. She stared at the ceiling, listening carefully. She could hear Jacen's even breathing beside her, feel his breath on her shoulder. She blocked out the sound, searching for the sound of Gidden's breathing nearby on the cot.

Nothing.

A frown creased her brow and she sat up, searching the darkness of their bedchamber for the cot the boy was now sleeping on. The shape was slow to materialize in the shadows of the bedroom, and she squinted at it, throwing the covers off the instant she realized it was empty.

"Gidden?" She kept her voice low so not to disturb Jacen.

There was no answer and Jacen groaned softly in his sleep, rolling over. Tenel Ka slid from the bed and into her robe, belting it tightly before scooping up her lightsaber hilt. She didn't sense Gidden's presence in their apartments. Where would the child have gone in the middle of the night?

She crept softly from the room, securing the door behind her as she stepping into the living area. "Gidden?" She called again, to be certain he wasn't simply masking his signature.

Nothing.

Tenel Ka stretched out further with the Force, trying to figure out where the child would have gone. Her eyes widened in shock as she felt his presence close to the Skywalkers. What Gidden had told Jacen came racing back to her and she ran for the door, throwing it open before pelting down the hallway towards the Skywalker's suite without regard for decorum. _Luke!_ _Mara!_ She sent her anxiety and urgency through the Force, trying to wake the Masters, to warn them of a potential threat.

Gidden wouldn't harm Ben, would he? She hit the door to the suite where the Skywalkers were staying with a bang, and fumbled for the latch, losing precious seconds as she fumbled for the handle. The door opened and she burst inside, using the Force to hit the lights as she darted for Ben's room.

A cry followed by the snap-hiss of a lightsaber and a loud crash brought her up short in the doorway to the baby's room. Mara held Ben in her arms, a bluish tinge to his skin, and was attempting to revive him. Luke guarded her back, his lightsaber in one hand, the other outstretched towards the wall; Gidden was half-way up that wall, pinned telekinetically, a pillow hanging limply in one hand.

"Come on Ben, it's mommy, breathe for me baby." Mara pleaded with her son, gently massaging his chest, punctuating her words with action as she breathed into his mouth.

Tenel Ka remained frozen in place, watching with growing horror as Mara preformed assisted breathing on Jacen's cousin.

After what seemed like eternity Ben finally inhaled on his own and began to cry, his arms flailing weakly. Mara scooped him up, holding him closely, protectively. "Thank the Force!"

As if his renewed breathing was a sign for activity to resume, Gidden let out a wail. "No! No, no, no! Ben hurt Kyp and Anakin! He bad! Mamma, tell them Ben is bad!"

Luke's gaze moved from Gidden to Tenel Ka. She felt as if she'd been punched. "Ben is not bad, Gidden. What you did, what you tried to do was very bad."

Gidden ducked his head.

Luke released the boy from his Force grip, his face hard. "This is Gidden?"

Tenel Ka nodded once. "It is. My apologies, Masters Skywalker, and to Ben. I did not know he intended Ben harm."

"I think you should leave." Mara's words were harsh.

Tenel Ka didn't reply, simply stepped far enough into the room to take Gidden's hand before pulling him out of the room. She saw Luke move from his defensive position to put his arms around Mara before the door closed.

Gidden protested, squirming and shaking, trying to break Tenel Ka's grasp. "No, no! Ben-"

Tenel Ka rounded on him. "You will not speak of Ben! You have been a bad boy, Gidden. You tried to kill Jacen's cousin because of a vision. A vision Jacen has explained may not happen because we are forewarned against it."

"But-"

"No."

Gidden bit his lip to hide the trembling. "I only tried to help!"

Tenel Ka dragged him from the Skywalker's apartment. "Do not offer more of your help, Gidden. You are confined to quarters until Jacen and I speak about this."

Gidden became angry. "You can't keep me if I don't wanna be here! Jay-sin won't let you!"

"I won't let her what?"

Gidden looked up at the sound of Jacen's voice. "Ten'Ka want me to stay in my room. I don't wanna!"

Jacen's gaze went to Tenel Ka's, and he immediately became concerned. "Tenel Ka? Are you alright?"

Gidden pulled on his hand, but Tenel Ka forced him forward. "I am not. Gidden, tell Jacen what you tried to do."

Gidden hunched his shoulders and stared at his feet.

Jacen looked from his wife to Gidden and back. "Tenel Ka, you're very pale, come sit down."

"I am fine." She nodded to Gidden. "He tried to kill Ben."

Jacen blinked. "Pardon?"

Gidden finally stuck his chin out, and answered for himself. "Ben going to be bad when he get bigger. Me try to make him not bad."

"By killing him, young man?"

Gidden shrank away from Jacen, hearing a tone of authority he'd not yet been exposed to. "I try to help!"

"You can help yourself all the way to the brig, if you keep up that kind of help. Go to your cot, I don't want to see your face until your mother and I figure out what to do with you."

"But-!" Gidden backed up a step, taken by complete surprise. "You not mean it!"

Jacen held open the door to their apartments, pointing in the direction he was to go. "Now, Gidden. Your mother and I will discuss your actions, until then, you're grounded."

"I not going!"

Jacen picked the boy up with the Force, and Gidden screamed, trying to break the hold as he thrashed a foot off the ground. "You're going, if you like it or not, and if I have to invest in some Ysalimiri to keep you there I will."

Gidden began to cry, tears of anger streaming down his face. "I hate you! You not my daddy!"

"I'm the closest thing you're going to have, son. Go to your cot!" He placed Gidden on the ground again; ready to pick him up if he refused to listen.

Gidden stomped off angrily, but complied, the bedchamber door closing with an angry bang.

Jacen was at Tenel Ka's side in the next moment, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her back into their apartments. She protested, but he didn't listen, carrying her straight to the couch before settling her gently on the cushions. "Are you alright, Tenel Ka?" His eyes searched hers, all of the sternness he'd displayed with Gidden now gone in favor of concern and tenderness for her.

She sighed, leaning back into the softness, catching his hand in hers to squeeze it briefly. "I am shocked." Her admission was soft and she was unwilling to admit, even to Jacen, that she wasn't feeling very well. Her condition made her queasy, and the nausea would eventually pass. "I did not think he would try and attack Ben."

Jacen placed his forehead on her knees, his hands gently grasping her hips as he allowed those awful words to sink in. He was silent for a long moment. "What did he do?"

Tenel Ka gently ran her hands through his hair, stroking it gently. "I arrived afterwards." She admitted. "Gidden was pinned to the wall by your uncle and he had a pillow in his hands. I believe he attempted to smother Ben. Mara had to revive him."

Jacen winced. "Ouch."

"It is not your fault, love."

Jacen sighed. "If I hadn't asked them to come..."

She tugged gently on his hair to cut him off. "Do not take responsibility for actions that are not yours, Jacen. They have occurred; what do we do about Gidden?"

Jacen lifted his head. "Space him?"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "We consider ourselves to be his parents. Spacing a child when they are naughty teaches them nothing."

He smiled weakly. "I don't know, Tenel Ka. Grounding him isn't really appropriate, I mean, he tried to kill Ben."

"Perhaps Luke and Mara should choose his punishment?"

Jacen shook his head regretfully. "Unfortunately, he's our responsibility, so the type of punishment falls to us. But what fits the crime? I can't very well put him in the dungeon with your - with Ta'a Chume. He'd escape with no problems with those guards."

"Restrain him here?"

Jacen frowned. "I don't think that would work either. We need to get it across to him that killing isn't right. I know his upbringing so far has dictated otherwise, but then," he smiled wryly. "No offense Tenel Ka, but your society isn't exactly nurturing towards the betterment of male children."

"Fact." Her eyes crinkled and her small smile appeared. "Something we shall change. Would having Gidden work with Ben help, do you think?"

Jacen made a face. "If Mara and Luke will allow it - I wouldn't be too excited about getting Gidden close to my kid after what he just tried to do."

"Another fact." Tenel Ka sighed and rubbed her hand through his hair thoughtfully. "Perhaps with proper supervision he will be alright."

"So that's it then?"

"It will be for the best."

"Alright." Jacen took a deep breath before pushing himself to his feet. "So do you or I get the fun task of approaching my aunt and uncle with this proposal?"

Tenel Ka rose to her feet, silencing the protest she saw in his gaze with a look. "We will go together. Gidden will sulk for a time. It is best we decide on his punishment before he decides to be difficult."

"No." Mara crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Jacen and Tenel Ka. "That little murdering monster is getting no where close to my son ever again."

"Then we won't be able to help him and we'll never know what he saw in that vision of his about Ben." Jacen shook his head. "We have to let Gidden and Ben be in the same room - supervised of course. If Gidden was so determined to stop Ben from doing whatever it was he saw, shouldn't we find out what he's seen?"

Luke appeared to be listening, but Mara shook her head emphatically. "No. I won't put Ben in harm's way just to satisfy your curiosity. You know the future isn't set in stone, what the little murderer saw might not even happen!"

"Mara," Luke placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "We owe it to Ben to find out, don't you think?"

"No, I don't." Mara turned her glare on Luke. "Ben's our son; we owe it to him to keep him away from people who would kill him! We didn't survive the war only to lose him now!"

Luke caught her hands. "Mara, what if what Gidden saw was a repetition of history and Ben cuts Kyp and Anakin down in cold blood? Don't you want to know so we're prepared for it and we can guide him appropriately?"

"He won't turn out that way, Luke." Her features softened. "Ben's a good kid and he's going to have the best upbringing we can give him."

"What if that's not enough?" Luke's tone was gentle as he searched her eyes. "You know how busy we both are; what kind of childhood is it to be dragged from one place to another with your parents and not having childhood friends?"

She seemed to deflate, the soft rebuke reminding her of just how precious their times together really were. "You're right of course. I just don't want that... that freak near my baby!"

Luke smiled. "How about we try talking to Gidden without Ben first? We may be able to get Gidden to open up without needing to involve Ben."

"If anyone can make that kid listen, it's you farm boy."

Luke chuckled. "Thanks. Alright Jacen, we'll play this your way, on the conditions we don't let Gidden alone with Ben and I try to talk to him before involving our son."

"Sounds good to me, Master." Jacen rose to his feet. "Gidden's been grounded until we can think of a suitable punishment for him, so if you'll follow me, I'll take you to our quarters."

Luke rose to follow, looking back when Mara remained seated. "Aren't you coming?"

Mara shook her head. "This assassin might want to strangle the little guy before talking to him."

Tenel Ka made to rise to her feet but Jacen put his hand out to stop her. "Stay with Mara, Tenel Ka. I think Gidden needs to have a man-to-man discussion."

Tenel Ka looked uneasily at Mara. "If I am welcome, I will stay."

"You're as white as the paint, Tenel Ka," Mara told her amused. "Of course you're more than welcome to stay. Early morning risings aren't the easiest thing to cope with."

Tenel Ka caught the double entendre, and her eyes sparkled mischievously, even if her color didn't improve. "Some easier than others."

Mara blinked, caught off guard by the wry, dry humor and then laughed. "So they are! Go on boys, we won't kill each other. I do have Tenel Ka's unborn children to think about."

Reassured, Luke and Jacen left the room.

Tenel Ka looked at Mara curiously. "Children?"

Mara shrugged. "I'd say there were good odds you're carrying twins, Tenel Ka. It's a safe assumption."

Tenel Ka felt her stomach twist, and knew what was coming next. She pushed to her feet, trying to remember the direction of the 'fresher

Mara, reading the look on Tenel Ka's face correctly, pointed her down the hallway. "Last door on your right."

Tenel Ka fled down the corridor, making it to the 'fresher just barely in time. As she expelled the contents of her stomach, she couldn't help but note that things weren't going as they'd planned.


	13. Chapter 13

"Gidden."

The boy stayed curled on his cot, facing away from the door. His shoulders were hunched protectively against anything that would come at him from behind.

Luke examined the boy who had tried to kill his son. He noted the Force aura, strong, but different. He noted the different lengths of Gidden's legs, the thin, almost skeleton frame. "Gidden?"

The boy's body shook, as if hit, when Luke spoke. He was slow to move, but eventually sat up, his tear-filled eyes wide with fear as they looked at the two men standing in the doorway. "You come to kill me?"

"No, Gidden." Luke stepped further into the room with Jacen, letting the door close behind them.

Jacen flipped on the lights, standing to the side as Luke stayed where he was, his blue eyes critically regarding his step-nephew.

Gidden shrank back. "You lie. Me hurt baby even if Ben is a bad, bad boy. You want to hurt me for it!"

Luke chuckled unexpectedly making both Gidden and Jacen blink in surprise. "Just because you hurt my son, doesn't mean I want to hurt you, Gidden." Luke smiled easily, unable to find anything but compassion for this skinny, lost little boy. "I want to understand why you did what you did and what made you do it. I want to help you understand."

Gidden looked to Jacen. "Jay-sin?"

Jacen smiled reassuringly. "It's alright, son. This is Luke Skywalker, my uncle. He was my Master in the ways of the Force, just as I'm yours. He might be able to make some sense of the visions you've had about Ben."

"I suppose." Gidden didn't look convinced.

Luke stepped forward, sensing that a critical point had been passed. He stopped half-way between the door and Gidden's cot, sinking down to kneel on the floor. "I come from not such a different background as yourself, Gidden. You see, I was brought up to believe I was an orphan like you."

"No mommy or daddy?" He inched forward, finding the Jedi Master less threatening now that he was sitting on the floor.

"None that I knew of." Luke pretended not to notice as Gidden slowly inched towards him. "It wasn't until I was almost twenty that I found out I wasn't really an orphan, but that my father was someone really terrible."

"Who?"

"Have you heard of Darth Vader, Gidden?"

Gidden's eyes widened so far they looked ready to pop out of his head. He squeaked, stopping in his tracks. "Bad, bad man!"

Luke smiled. "Yes, he did terrible things to people. He killed, like you tried to do with Ben, without searching for truth or reason. He was an instrument of evil."

"I not like Vader!" Gidden's tone was indignant, and he balled his hands on his skinny hips, glaring at Luke. "Ben going to be like Vader!"

Luke cocked his head at the young boy who was glaring at him almost nose to nose. "Have you seen Ben become like Vader, Gidden?"

Gidden's stance lost some of its conviction. "Me see Ben hurt Kyp and Anakin." A sad expression worked its way onto his face as he stared Luke Skywalker in the eyes. "He steal a yellow light sword from Tahiri."

"Ben steals Tahiri's lighsaber?" Luke kept his voice calm, soothing, encouraging Gidden to continue. "I think you better tell me from the start. Why would Ben steal Tahiri's lightsaber?"

Gidden shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe he want one for himself 'cause he can't make one. Me just see Ben take light sword from Tahiri and Kyp and Anakin try to stop him from leaving this room. Ben don't think about it, he just act and hurt Kyp here." He touched his upper chest on the right hand side. "And he hurt Anakin here." He touched his left thigh, drawing a line towards his knee. "Ben hurt people who try to stop him so I stop Ben before he make Tahiri sad."

Luke felt a shiver crawl down his spine. "Did Ben kill Anakin, Gidden? Is that why Tahiri was sad?"

Gidden frowned. "No, Ben just hurt. But make it so Anakin can't have babies - that make Tahiri sad."

Jacen coughed from his place by the doorway, his hand going protectively to his own "baby maker" and shielding it in sympathy.

Luke ignored his nephew, keeping his gaze locked with Gidden's. "Have you had any other dreams or visions about Ben, Gidden?"

Gidden nodded, unable to tear his gaze away from Luke's, unaware he was subtly being manipulated to tell the truth and what he'd seen. "Me see Ben hurt Jay-na. Hurt really bad when she try to stop him. He don't care. She hurt bad but keep coming, so Ben kill her. He cut her here." He drew a line across his own throat. "Ben a bad boy."

"He certainly would be _if_ it happens." Luke let go of Gidden through the Force, a little at a time. "Didn't Jacen tell you that the future is always in motion, Gidden?"

"He say so." Gidden was reluctant to admit it, and didn't so much as glance at Jacen. "Me - I don't think Ben should be allowed to hurt Jay-na and Tahiri like that though."

"You're right." Luke smiled slightly. "But will Ben ever learn that killing is wrong, that hurting people is wrong, if you don't give him that chance?"

Gidden blinked, attempting to wrap his head around the sentence. "No?"

Luke ruffled the blonde curls on Gidden's head, and pushed to his feet. "You're right, he won't learn. Instead of something him, what else could we do to make sure Ben doesn't hurt Jaina and Tahiri?"

Gidden bit his lip, thinking about the question for a few minutes. "We teach Ben it's bad to hurt people?"

"Good kid; I knew I could count on you."

"But what if me keep seeing Ben hurting people?"

Luke stared down at the boy solemnly. "Then you tell me. I'm his father Gidden, and it's my place to punish him and train him. Just as it's Jacen's to punish and train you. If you see Ben doing anymore bad things, I want to know about them."

"So, Ben be shown that hurting people bad?" Gidden's voice held a hopeful note. "Ben don't gotta die?"

Luke blinked and then smiled slightly. "Yes, Mara and I will train Ben, Gidden. He needs to be alive to learn those lessons though." His voice turned stern. "I'd like a promise from you that you won't do anything to hurt my boy from now on."

Gidden blushed and hung his head. "Me promise. You make good daddy, Uncle Luke."

"Thank kid." He ruffled the brat's hair again before turning to Jacen. "I think we'd best go make sure our wives haven't killed one another yet."

Jacen eyed Gidden. "And his punishment?"

Gidden hung back at the words, his shoulders slumping.

Luke met Jacen's gaze and smiled wryly. "You're his parent; you'll figure it out. I think for now we should let him see that Ben isn't a threat since he's still a baby and then we can work from there."

"I'll say I'm sorry, Jay-sin." Gidden's voice was small.

Jacen cast a look at the boy. "Sorry just doesn't cut it this time, kiddo. Come on; you need to meet Ben under normal circumstances. Then your mother and I will discuss your punishment."

* * *

"You will not harm Gidden if they deem it proper to introduce him to Ben?"

Mara snorted. "I said I wouldn't, Tenel Ka. But if he tries to hurt Ben, all bets are off."

Tenel Ka nodded, sipping the mug of mildly spiced tea Mara had made for her. It was settling her stomach, something Tenel Ka couldn't help but be grateful for. "Will you still assist with Gidden's training?"

"That_is_ why we're here." Mara examined Tenel Ka's complexion. "Are you sure you're feeling better? You're still an awful shade of white."

"I am fine."

"If you say so."

Tenel Ka sipped her drink again, an uneasy silence between them.

The door slid open, excusing them from further conversation, and Luke stepped inside. Jacen and Gidden were close behind, Gidden's shoulders drooped dejectedly, his limp more pronounced as he dragged the longer leg behind him. His eyes widened with fear as he spied Mara. "She kill me!"

"I don't eat children for breakfast anymore kid, and you'd be the youngest target I've ever taken out if I did. I'm not a big fan of killing children, even if they do try to kill my son."

Gidden hung his head. "Me sorry."

Luke was the one to offer reassurance. "It's alright, Gidden. Mara won't hurt you. She just doesn't yet know why you tried to do what you did, or what you've promised me you'll do."

Gidden peaked upwards through his blonde mop. "Oh yeah. If I tell her, maybe she understand?"

Luke motioned for Gidden to go ahead. Gidden hesitated before stepping forward and finally moved past Jacen to stand closer to Mara. He visibly trembled as he repeated his vision to Mara.

Mara's gaze went questioningly to Luke's when Gidden's vision had been explained. "I see what prompted this, but I don't condone it."

Gidden nodded. "Me know. Me promise to let Ben's daddy and mommy teach him good and not to try to hurt him. Can..." He looked up hesitantly, shyly. "Can I say I sorry to Ben?"

"Maybe later." Mara watched the impish face fall. "Ben's sleeping, Gidden. When he wakes up, you can try."

Gidden nodded in understanding, moving to stand close to Tenel Ka, his hip brushing her leg before sitting next to her. He remained quiet as Luke joined Mara and Jacen sat on Tenel Ka's other side. Luke spoke first. "Now that we all know why Gidden chose his actions, perhaps we had best put in place a training regime to give him some guidance so we can prevent any future unpleasant instances."

"Our thoughts exactly." Jacen slanted a look at Tenel Ka, who nodded once to show her agreement. He turned back to his uncle. "We'd appreciate any advice you could offer in setting it up. We've tried, but Tenel Ka's been really bust with her responsibilities and I've had to sit in with the military advisors. It's hard to train him when our free time is limited."

"I'll give you some exercises he can do when you're not around, though they haven't changed much since either of you were at the academy. You should remember some of them." Luke sounded amused.

"It's been a long time since I was at the academy, Uncle Luke." Jacen didn't sound the slightest bit apologetic. "We'd appreciate any help you can give."

A knock on the door brought them around, and Jana stepped in apologetically. "I did not wish to intrude, but we have had a matter arise that can only be solved by the Queen Mother."

"Immediately?"

Jana nodded, looking displeased for having to admit it. "Yes, your highness."

Tenel Ka rose to her feet reluctantly. "If you will excuse me, I have been neglecting my - _our_ duties." She nodded to Mara and Luke before patting Gidden on the shoulder and disappearing.

Gidden watched her go mournfully before shrinking down into the couch trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. None of the adults paid him any mind as they continued to discuss training techniques. Finally, after almost twenty minutes, Gidden spoke up, breaking in hesitantly. "Do I have to leave?"

"Why would you have to leave?"

Gidden made a face. "Because I hurt Ben."

Jacen shook his head. "No, Gidden. You don't have to leave."

"Promise?"

"Of course."

Gidden looked to Luke and Mara. "I don't have to come study at your academy?"

Luke's smile was reassuring. "We haven't exactly decided to reestablish the academy yet, Gidden. You can probably learn best from Jacen and Tenel Ka for the moment anyway. Most of the students that we'd be training are teenagers."

Gidden's expression brightened. "So I could come when I'm bigger?"

"That's a possibility, yes."

Gidden pushed himself off the couch. "Is Ben up yet? I wanna say sorry."

"Not yet." Mara shook her head, checking her chrono. It was 0200. "Perhaps we should continue this later."

"I agree." Jacen stood and nodded to his Aunt and Uncle. "We'll see you in the morning."

Luke and Mara said their good nights and Jacen took Gidden by the hand, lading him back towards the Royal Chambers. Tenel Ka was waiting for them when they arrived. She said nothing. Simply helped Jacen tuck Gidden in before climbing into bed beside him. They had several hours to go until morning. Hopefully there would be no more disturbances until morning.

* * *

Gidden's punishment was quick, and severe.

He was placed in Scruffy's care for several days and put through the basic training all of her starting bodyguards endured. In addition, he was given duties with Jana, attending meetings as a shadow, to learn the ins and outs of Hapan politics. It had also forced him to realize that while he didn't exactly understand what was happening, Jacen and Tenel Ka had a lot of responsibilities beyond him and their expectant children.

He returned to their quarters at night too tired to do much beyond eat and fall into his cot.

For a seven year old, it forced him to grow, not only physically, adapting to his handicaps, but mentally, expanding his mind in ways neither of them had expected.

While he may not have understood the implications of what he was hearing, Gidden sat in on the preliminary sentencing hearings of Ta'a Chume, as well as the applications for the new Consortium representatives. They'd submitted applications, things Tenel Ka never saw, and Jana had him sorting through them to find the best candidates to back with royal approval. With Gidden's force skills, he proved adept at ferreting out the lies, and his reading skills increasing exponentially as his hunches were proved right.

Luke and Mara spent their time assisting the guards and helping trace down leads, at the same time, enjoying their time away. They spent a lot of time with Ben, knowing Gidden wouldn't yet be to see him until his punishment was completed. They took the time to relax and simply enjoy being a family with few pressures and responsibilities beyond their assistance.

Luke also took the time to send messages to Han and Leia, Zekk, Jaina, Anakin and Tahiri. They all needed to know about Gidden's visions, and Zekk's message included an invitation, at his convenience, to come to Hapes to assist with Gidden's training. The rest were informed of the assassination plots and the possibilities of being on stand-by to assist.

It took almost a week for their replies to come in, with Zekk informing Luke that he was currently occupied but he'd try to be there as soon as he could.

Jacen and Tenel Ka took the opportunity to plan and execute the party plan, a date that was fast approaching. Gidden would need to be introduced as the heir to the throne, if that was indeed the way they wanted to Go. If nothing else, the assassin needed to have a clear line of vision to Jacen, to be enticed to reveal themselves.

It resulted in more than one discussion...

"You know I don't object, sweetheart," Jacen said patiently, "but the people may object to having an heir who isn't of your bloodline."

Tenel Ka scrolled through the information on the datapad in her hand, not looking up at him as he settled on the couch next to her. "It is not their decision to make."

"No, but they're the ones who give you your power. The reason the matriarchal society has worked so well thus far is because of the tight reign of power. They're having enough problems adapting to the fact you have a husband and not a consort. Putting Gidden forward as the heir to the throne is just adding fuel to the fire."

"You do not think he should be the heir?" He gray eyes raised, full of amusement as they met his. "Would it not be indicative of the changes we are implementing?"

"I think he should be the heir, that's not the issue. I'm saying that with this being my first official function as your husband, there will be enough tension. I just think we don't have to make the announcement he's going to be the heir just yet." He leaned back into the cushions, watching her steadily. "We've made enough enemies. Bringing more pressure onto the family, especially now when you're not even half way through your pregnancy isn't good for any of us. Especially you, or the baby."

She placed the datapad on the table. "When do you propose Gidden is introduced?"

Jacen shrugged. "If all goes well, once the new delegates are chosen, we'll be in session anyway, right? So why not announce it then? By that point your pregnancy will be obvious, and well have an idea of how many children you're carrying."

"The baby will be born by then, Jacen. They have a year in which to complete the process of choosing new delegates. They deserve to know that their future ruler has already been chosen."

"Well, what about the bi yearly session?"

She shook her head once. "Too late. It is almost three months away."

"A formal announcement from the throne once your pregnancy becomes visible and we find out how many children you're carrying?"

"One." She arched an eyebrow at him, challenging him to disagree. "Though your uncle and aunt believe otherwise."

Jacen smiled sheepishly. "I hate to say it, Tenel Ka, but so do I. The record of twins in my family indicates you're not carrying only one child."

"Perhaps we will break the mould." She dismissed the idea. "It is not within our control, regardless. Presently we need to complete the planning our first official celebration."

"You're sure you don't mind it being a Corellian themed?" Jacen scooped up the data pad she'd put on the table.

Tenel Ka leaned back, twisting on the sofa so her back was against the arm and her knee bent at and angle to balance her as she watched him. "You would have this any other way?"

Jacen shrugged. "I can't say I particularly enjoy the idea. Corellian parties have a way of getting out of hand and my parents might just show up without notice."

Tenel Ka waved the idea away. "If they arrive, they will be made welcome. Your father will appreciate the contents."

"True enough." Jacen chuckled. "This looks like everything is already set."

"Most of it."

"Then what's left?"

Tenel Ka extended her hand to him. "The King needs to make his Queen happy."

Jacen dropped the datapad, taking her hand with a grin. "Oh does he now. Is that a Royal decree?"

"Must it be?" She arched an eyebrow at him, tugging on his hand.

Jacen went willingly, sliding into her embrace with a smile, his eyes sparkling. "You know how good I am at following orders."

Her gray eyes were darkening as he watched, and her head tilted. "Then perhaps you had best kiss your Queen, Jacen Solo, for she is beginning to forget the feel."

"We can't have that." He braced himself above her, his lips claiming hers in a tender, intimate kiss.

Most of their conversations ended that way, not that either one complained, and frequently resulted in Jacen following her orders very, very thoroughly.

* * *

The morning of the party, Jana took Gidden early to give the Royal couple some time alone before the festivities. Tanner, now returned to duty, often accompanied Gidden to the inside pool, though neither of them had been on the beach since Mikalea's death at the hands of the sea creature.

Tanner, with Gidden's inclusion into their early morning routines, had stated taking the seven year old on reduced runs through the day to help improve his fitness. It resulted in a very tight and mutual friendship developing between the two of them

Jana went so far as to intervene when she saw Gidden developing a crush on the bodyguard, taking it upon herself to sit him down and explain that Tanner's duties prevented her from accepting any of the gifts of flowers or candies he wanted to give her.

Disappointed, Gidden decided he could wait until he didn't need a bodyguard anymore and then give her a gift.

Jana, knowing his crush was a passing thing, had informed him it was a good idea. So he's stopped running in the morning with Tanner and instead took breakfast, and courtesy lessons, with Jana. He did it because some day he wanted to prove to Jana that Tanner would think he was the most polite and capable boy she knew. Jana tolerated it and encouraged him, knowing eventually his friendship with Tanner would return to its previous level and this would all blow over.

Jacen and Tenel Ka rose late the morning of the party, taking a leisurely walk together around the interior gardens, simply enjoying each other's company and finding their calm in the midst of the assassination attempts and politics that were continuing to plague them and their family.

Tenel Ka's condition wasn't yet know, and her attire for public functions and sessions was carefully chosen, all high wasted and concealing, to prevent anyone outside their circle to know about her pregnancy.

This evening was no exception, both having chosen rather loose fitting clothing, in Corellian style, for their celebration. There would be alcohol - Corellian Brandy - and card games. There would be laser darts and gambling for those who wished to experience the flavors of the darker side of Corellian style. For those with flair, Tenel Ka had pulled in a troupe to showcase their clothing styles with a fashion show, as well as Corellian music would be the highlight of the evening, gracing the hall as everyone entered and enjoyed their time.

She knew the night would be a gamble, the feast being Corellian in flavor and theme. Not the typical healthy Hapan fare. Not that they didn't have a flare for doing other dishes every now and again, but Corellian food tended to be heavier than the Hapan's typical diet.

Now, with the evening at hand, a bare twelve hours away, Tenel Ka felt the first stirrings of nervousness. Since her announcement to the delegates several weeks ago, no one had seen her, but she had seen the slight increase in her middle. Not overly noticeable if she'd been seen every day, but she hadn't been. Her condition, regardless of how loose her clothing would be, had the chance of being discovered.

Jacen was quiet, his tread easy as they circled the garden for the tenth of twelfth time. He could sense she was uneasy, nervous about their plot to catch the assassin gunning for him, but he could also sense she was preoccupied beyond that evening.

"Nervous?"

She slanted him a look. "You know I am."

A bonus of Gidden's punishment had been Tenel Ka's increasing need to express herself openly and honestly - she had started showing more emotion, such as disapproval and amusement with him and Gidden. So Gidden's actions had in turn benefited all of them. If he and Ben could be introduced without completely scarring Ben for life, they'd be ten for ten.

"Any other reason than the trap tonight?"

She was quiet for a few moments. "I know you found something on the sea floor."

Jacen blinked, missing a step, and quick stepped to rejoin her. "You mean the datarod. What about it?"

"Have you had the chance to examine it?"

"Not really." He sighed. "I haven't just been idle you know. I've been helping Jana where I can in planning this crazy assassin catching festival. We've had to work on Flynn and Vola's plans for their wedding. Even a quick ceremony takes time. Plus I've been seeking Luke and Mara's help when you've been otherwise occupied. Mikalea's death and the circumstances surrounding it aren't exactly in the forefront of my mind."

Tenel Ka smiled faintly. "I was not implying they should be. I was simply wondering if that datarod was readable after being in the water. Water has a tendency to corrupt data. We are not even certain it was Mikalea's."

"No, but Scruffy confirmed the medallion was hers."

"All of the guards wear them." Tenel Ka shook her head once. "No, there must be more here. You would have felt if you were deceived when Mikalea was attacked. You would have sensed her life signature. I believe her to be dead, Jacen. If she was not, we would know by now - it has been more than a week."

"What if she was taken to be tortured?"

"Not possible."

"I guess I'm stretching, aren't I?" He sighed. "I just don't like the feel of it, Tenel Ka. Either she's still alive or that creature was under the command of someone."

"Or something."

"Possibly." Jacen continued to think aloud. "It's possible it was collared. I didn't look closely; I was too concerned with Getting Gidden out of there."

"As you should have been, my love. We cannot fault you for that."

"I wasn't thinking you should." He chuckled. "Seriously, I think you're right. I would have known if I was being deceived. They couldn't hide her life force from me and I would have sensed a bubble. Mikalea must be dead, or she would have surfaced by now."

"And the datarod?"

"Where would she have kept it?" Jacen rolled his eyes. "Neither Mikalea nor Tanner were wearing much when Mikalea was killed. It stands to reason it has nothing to do with this - unless it was planted for me to find."

Tenel Ka nodded. "I agree. It could be a decoy."

"Very possibly - _if_ the information is still decodable."

"Let us hypothesize that it is not." Tenel Ka looked at him with a challenging gleam in her eyes.

"Alright. Let's say we can't read it. If it's not Mikalea's, then it's useless to us, so we're at no loss. If it's a decoy, planted because they knew one of us would be there, again no loss because the people involved in this are very skilled at hiding their tracks."

"Correct." Tenel Ka made the mental note as the rounded the garden again, increasing her pace to a jog.

Jacen followed even as he continued to turn the facts over in his mind. "So if the data rod is of no use to us, how do we go about tracking the creature that killed Mikalea and attempted to kill Gidden?"

"We do not." Tenel Ka's tone held regret. "The creature is likely a wild one that was used once and for that sole purpose. To find the connection we must track down the Jaylyn connection."

"The girl who attacked me?" Jacen chuckled. "That's going to be hard since her file and all her information is missing. I didn't even know you knew about that."

"Scruffy knows to inform me of these things."

"I see." Jacen turned that over in his mind. "Ok, so let's assume we can track down some kind of information on Jaylyn, what then? Following up with her parents will yield little information and any of her friends, unless they too were propositioned, wouldn't have a clue. I think our best bet is to focus on the people inside our own guard contingent."

"Jana has been discreetly following up with the girls Jaylyn schooled with. There have been... mixed results."

"Oh?"

"Few remember her." Tenel Ka's tone implied her frustration. "Most of what we have found is what we already know. She was unremarkable, except for her temper, and none of them appear to know what she did once she was dismissed."

"I see." Jacen added that to the information he was turning over in his head. "Unless they're all lying."

"I do not think so; not to Jana. She has the power to have them executed if she even suspects treason." Tenel Ka turned an amused look on Jacen. "It is a powerful motivator."

"Unless she's in on the plot."

"I believe you are wrong Jacen. My opinion on this has not changed since you last broached the subject."

"It needs to be considered, Tenel Ka. If not Jana, than Scruffy, I just don't have a motivation yet. Unless they don't want to see Gidden take the throne eventually. I can't see that being a problem though; neither objected to his adoption."

"They do not dare defy their Queen."

"But they might try and kill her King and adopted son. They have the training to avoid Jedi; it was included when your mother took over. The people who are hunting us are adept at it."

"Only partially." Tenel Ka couldn't deny the wisdom of his words. "If I were to order them to undergo a deep scan by a Jedi, they would have to comply. A non-Jedi, even one trained in control, cannot hide their true intentions from an intuitive Jedi."

"So do we order it?"

"As a last resort, Jacen. I do not what Jana or Scruffy to believe that I think them disloyal until it is absolutely necessary."

"I take it you're hoping we catch someone tonight that can point us in another direction."

"Fact." Her eyes were shadowed. "I do not like thinking my confidant and head bodyguard are implicated in this."

"Neither do I, but we can't discount them. I agree with you though. If we catch someone this evening who can point us in another direction I'll be relieved."

Tenel Ka didn't reply, she didn't have to. Everything about Flynn and Vola's personal security, Gidden's personal security and their personal security, present and future, was riding on capturing an Assassin that evening. He only hoped one would oblige and step into their trap.

* * *

"I think we've walked into a party, sweetheart. Think they'll mind us dropping by unexpectedly and crashing it?" The comment was followed by a roguish smile.

A clear, low chuckled followed the comment. "A visit by his parent's can't hurt him. Come on, this should be fun."


	14. Chapter 14

The party was in full swing when Jacen and Tenel Ka made their late, but fashionable, arrival. Unannounced, they none-the-less drew the gaze of almost everyone in the room. Tenel Ka was beautiful in a room of beauties; her red hair piled half atop her head, the other half loosely hanging down around her shoulders and falling to her waist. Her gown was strapless, sitting tightly across her bust and had a high waist, allowing the fabric to drop in waves to her ankles. The brilliant green color was interspersed with blues, dark reds and silver, creating a shimmering effect. It also did much to hide her condition, so artfully the dress was arranged.

Jacen strode at her side dressed in an outfit reminiscent of his father's old threads. His pants were tight, a shade away from being indecent, and his chest was bare. A black vest hung around his shoulders but remained open. Silver designs were spiraled through both, creating a lovely contrast, yet match, with Tenel Ka.

Most of the highest class houses had representatives at the party, dressed in fashions similar, but not nearly as striking, as the Royal couple's. In addition to being given a dress code, there was also an attendance requirement.

Every woman had to bring a _willing_ escort.

At the door, every pair was separated and questioned. Any Male who exhibited a reluctance to attend was set free; the woman was denied entry. Needless to say, it was a stroke of brilliance. It had forced the women to actively court the men in their households, or outside them, for a willing escort.

Most had succeeded, and the resulting atmosphere was thereby more relaxed and enjoyable than most Hapan functions. The guard's presence was discrete, many of the bodyguards mingling as guests, the male palace assistants who had jumped at the chance to attend, as their escorts.

Tenel Ka didn't smile, though Jacen did, greeting various couples as they made the rounds of the floor. Jana was absent this night, having put Gidden to bed early, and was walking the perimeter of the event, checking and double checking entrances to ensure no one would be able to penetrate. Nobody but a trained assassin and only in two very carefully selected places. Both of which had camera surveillance and minimally guarded.

They wanted to encourage the assassin, not dissuade them, but they also didn't want to make it obvious. Thus, the two entrances were also covered in security systems similar to the rest of the palace, but inferior in design. They would be more easily penetrated, making them almost irresistible to an intruder.

Or so they hoped.

Jana, prowling the perimeter, did little to distinguish herself from the other guards, and simply watched and waited. Sooner or later, someone would attempt to enter unauthorized and, once they attempted to sight on the King, he or she, would be taken out.

Down on the floor the models were going through the first rotation of fashions when a commotion at the front door caught Tenel Ka and Jacen's attention. Jacen touched her shoulder, indicating she should stay and enjoy, but she shook her head fractionally, taking his arm.

Jacen smiled faintly, not surprised she insisted on coming, and quickly weaved their way towards the door. As they neared, a familiar voice, one neither had expected to hear, rose above the crowd.

"I told you, we don't have an invitation. We're the King's parents." A pause. "I don't know why we weren't invited, maybe you should ask them."

Jacen exchanged a look with his wife, a grin crossing his face. Her eyes sparkled with amusement. There was no mistaking _that_ voice anywhere in the galaxy. They emerged nearby, almost directly behind the guard who was preventing the entrance.

Jacen reached out and placed a hand on the guard's shoulder. "We'll handle this."

The guard looked over her shoulder and smiled relieved. She opened her mouth, but the irritated guest spoke first.

"About time you showed up son!"

"Mom, dad." Jacen grinned. "What brings you to Hapes?"

Han grabbed Jacen's hand with his trademark Solo smile. "We discussed your message and figured you might need a hand with that headstrong kid that's hanging around. Force sensitive kids are no picnic."

"Fact." Tenel Ka's eyes sparkled. "Welcome to Hapes."

Leia stepped forward and embraced Tenel Ka briefly by the shoulders, placing a kiss on her cheek. "You look stunning, Tenel Ka. I'm glad my son had the good sense to marry you."

"Even if she took a little encouraging?" Jacen chuckled, sliding his arm around Tenel Ka's shoulders. "We're glad you approve. Come on in and join the party; it might be to your liking."

"Seems very Corellian." Leia noted as they passed the guard. "What are we celebrating tonight?"

Jacen chuckled. "My first official celebration as the King of Hapes." He straightened his shoulders and affected a serious air for a brief moment before smiling sheepishly. "And maybe an ulterior motive or two."

Han scanned the room. "Is that a sabacc table?"

"Several of them." Jacen confirmed. "It wouldn't be a Corellian party without a little gambling."

"Seems awful popular with your guests."

Tenel Ka turned towards the sabacc tables and arched an eyebrow. "So it does. I assure you there is little Hapans enjoy more than a good risk. Perhaps you can give them lessons, Captain Solo?"

Han cast a glance at Leia who rolled her eyes and waved him away. He grinned like a school boy and headed for the tables, carefully casing each one before choosing a stool at a table with only three players and greeting them cordially.

Leia laughed softly. "Some things never change. Your father never could resist a chance to fleece a rich woman."

Jacen chuckled. "Care to walk with us, mom? We're still making our rounds meeting everyone who has been wandering in late."

Tenel Ka touched Jacen's shoulder. "I must speak with the Chef and arrange for two more plates at the head table. I will rejoin you shortly."

Jacen nodded and Tenel Ka turned, disappearing into the crowd. Jacen offered his arm to his mother and Leia took it with a regal tilt of her head. Her bearing changed and her posture straightened. Her hair was tied in a loose braid, her brown hair shot through with silver strands, but her bearing turned instantly noble despite her lack of trappings.

Jacen suppressed a smile and escorted her through the gathered, nodding to each one pleasantly. Leia did the same, her eyes sparkling as she discreetly kept a eye on Han in the corner with the game tables. She enjoyed herself, stopping to briefly watch the fashions, amused that her own trousers and top, Corellian in design, were almost a fashion statement despite their wear.

By the time Jacen had toured the floor once with his mother, Tenel Ka had not yet returned to their company. He spied her across the room, speaking with several of the appointed representatives from different worlds. She was slowly working her way beyond them, but whatever held her there was obviously important.

Jacen nodded as Tenel Ka discreetly waved for him to enjoy himself, knowing he was now obliged to be a good host to his mother. Leia looked eagerly back towards the sabacc tables. "We should check on your father; I don't want him throwing away our life savings."

Jacen chuckled. "Dad can take care of himself, mom. Besides, he's playing against a bunch of rich women who are here to loose money, not gain it."

"Normally I'd agree, but these are Hapan women. They don't exactly bet low."

"No, but what could dad have that they want?"

Leia simply arched an eyebrow at him, as if to say, "What do you think I still see in him?" and allowed herself to be led away.

Over the next several hours Jacen was rejoined by Tenel Ka and Leia drifted away, finding Isolder, attaching herself to his side to get caught up on the happenings between their children. Han was too absorbed in the sabacc match, in fleecing the unsuspecting and inexperienced players, to notice his wife was spending time with Isolder.

It made for a more pleasant evening.

The hours passed slowly, and, gradually, the festivities entered a lull, where the sabacc tables appeared to be the only attraction. Jacen and Tenel Ka drifted their way when a loud expletive blistered the air.

They increased their pace, the expletive followed by Han Solo's outraged voice. "Hell, no! I'm not some piece of meat!"

_Uh oh_. Jacen couldn't help the thought. He hadn't disarmed his father at the door, nor had him surrender his blaster. And while Han was level headed at the best of times, he did seem a tad trigger happy despite his age.

They arrived on the scene to find Han Solo nose-to-nose with a stately dressed woman, almost covered head to toe in gems. So much so, that Jacen couldn't tell if her dress had any fabric at all. Her hands were lined with gems, the largest on her ring fingers and he had a sneaky suspicion this was Gallinore's representative.

Han's lips were in a firm line as the woman stared at him incredulous.

"Well I never!" She sounded outraged, uptight. "It was a valid offer. Having someone of your skill in my house would be an asset."

"Han Solo ain't for sale lady." He fairly growled the words.

Jacen stepped between them. "Easy dad. What seems to be the problem?"

The lady sniffed, speaking up as if Jacen hadn't spoken or addressed his father. "This gentleman is refusing my proposal!" She sounded aggrieved, as if she couldn't possibly understand why.

"The lady thinks I'd be better off earning her credits from these no account losers instead of putting them in my own pocket." Han glared at the woman.

Jacen turned and met Tenel Ka's gaze. She arched an eyebrow at him and remained silent, clearly indicating it was his decision and ruling to make. His first official decision. He cleared his throat. "I see the problem. I also see a solution."

The woman sniffed. "From a male?"

Jacen's eyes hardened and he turned a stern look on her. "From your King, Madame. Han Solo is a guest of the Royal family; he is a part of it. He has declined your proposal. Since the tenants dictating our society have changed, any male who refuses your proposal cannot be harassed into acceptance. As decreed by the Queen Mother," he gallantly bows to his wife before turning back to the gem-lady. "On punishment of death."

The lady inhaled sharply, as if to object and then let it out without a word. She sniffed. "Very well. Then I thank Mr. Solo for a wonderful game and a lesson in-"

Jacen's danger sense flared and his lightsaber leapt into his hand, igniting instantly and deflecting the bolt that flashed dangerously close to his head. The bolt rebounded at an obtuse angle, hitting the ceiling above his head.

Han Solo's blaster was drawn, sighting back along the direction the bolt had come from, but he didn't have the chance to fire as Scruffy and her guards zoned in on the assassin. Shots were exchanged, and Jacen saw with horror that there were no blue stun bolts like he'd ordered; the guards were still shooting to kill.

Things were over in moments and order restored. Han returned to the sabacc table, challenging the gem lady to one more game, willing to forget the whole incident, though Jacen saw the look his father cast his way.

He didn't have time to answer. Tenel Ka was already headed for the balcony where the assassin had been. Leia had taken control, immediately switching into damage control mode, though tension radiated off her in waves. She'd just watched someone try to kill her eldest son again. Something she hadn't expected to see so soon, regardless of Hapan politics.

Later, she and Han would speak with him. For now, she would help them do their job and stay out of their way. Unfortunately, the even had dampened her enjoyment of the party, and Leia found herself hoping it would wind up soon. She had a few things she wanted to ask; the sooner the better.

Jacen caught up with Tenel Ka as she was ascending the stairs to the balcony, and fell into step beside her. He kept a careful eye out, speaking in low tones he knew she would hear.

"I ordered Scruffy to have the guards put their blasters and weapons on stun, Tenel Ka. Scruffy agreed to comply. She told me that the only person who could override me was Jana - who shouldn't unless she was involved in the plot. Something doesn't feel right."

Tenel Ka didn't look at him as they rounded the corner and began climbing the last flight. "Fact. Something is very wrong with this."

Jacen didn't have a chance to respond as they stepped out onto the balcony. Jana was kneeling beside the prostrate form of the dead assassin, pulling various weapons and equipment from their pockets. Her face was grim, grimmer than Jacen had ever seen it and for a brief moment he felt guilty for thinking she could be implicated.

Only briefly; for she'd countermanded his order and he intended to find out why.

* * *

Things moved quickly that evening, Jacen and Tenel Ka closing the party down at an almost indecently early hour of 0100, and returned to their quarters. Gidden was already fast asleep in his cot, and Tenel Ka checked on him briefly before returning to the main chamber.

Jacen had convinced his parents to get some sleep and they'd talk in the morning. He hadn't liked putting his parents off after getting their help, but they needed to have a meeting with Jana before he could give them any kind of reassurance.

Jana arrived shortly after Tenel Ka had seated herself on the couch.

Jana's face was drawn, haggard looking and Jacen was surprised at the change in her. "I have failed you your majesties."

Jacen was surprised by the first words out of the aid's mouth. "Oh?"

Jana rubbed a hand across her forehead. "The assassin was supposed to have been neutralized in a fashion so that we could take her into custody. It is another ex-recruit; one that, Scruffy has informed me, washed out well before you became the Queen Mother's husband. Someone in the chain of my command changed my orders for firing on stun to fire on kill." Her eyes were wary, but determined. "I will begin investigating each of the guards individually. Not everyone was working this evening; locating and isolating the traitor should be easy enough. There is a lot of misinformation floating about the palace these days."

"So you didn't consciously countermand my order?"

"No, sir." Jana smiled faintly. "In fact I had been intending to issue the order myself when Scruffy informed me you'd beat me to it. I agree with you; we need information and the assassins themselves are the best and only source. I have also asked Scruffy to pull and duplicate all of our files, existing guards and washouts, to see if we can find any others with similar traits."

Jacen visibly relaxed. "Good work Jana."

"I'm sorry it couldn't be more, sire. I had hoped to have a captive to question this evening."

Tenel Ka rose to her feet. "Get some sleep, Jana. You have set the plan in motion, there is little more you and do tonight."

"Shall I see to your parents, sire?"

"They'll be fine until morning, Jana. Tenel Ka's right. You look dead on your feet, perhaps we should take over those duties you've been handling to give you a break."

"I'll be fine, sire." Her smile was grateful. "I just need some sleep. Good night." Jana turned and departed, silently as a shadow.

"Either she told me what I wanted to hear or there are several disgruntled guards in our contingent."

"There are less than two hundred personal guards, Jacen. Three times that get turned away." Tenel Ka shook her head once, reaching up to release her hair from its coiffure. "We are once again back at square one."

Jacen moved to her side, lifting his hands to firmly rub her shoulders. Her head fell forward as his hands melted the tension from her muscles. "You need to relax, love. All this excitement can't be good for the baby."

"Fact." She murmured the word on a sigh. "Do you feel comfortable leaving the investigating in Jana's hands, Jacen?"

"I'm more comfortable than I was before we spoke with her. I also understand she's discretely investigating the more questionable applications for being a planetary representative. I'm not sure how either of you do it; keeping your fingers in so many pies and not getting overwhelmed by it."

"Delegation, Jacen my love. The key to success. There. Ohhh!"

Jacen rubbed a particularly tight knot in her shoulder, drawing a sigh from her. He chuckled softly, leaning forward to gently kiss her bare shoulder. "Have I told you how beautiful you look this evening, Tenel Ka?"

"Several times." She confirmed. "I do not tire of hearing it from you."

"I'm glad." He dropped another kiss on her shoulder, lingering this time. "You're breathtaking."

She leaned back into him, and his hands slid from her shoulders to slide around her waist. His hands settled on the swell of her stomach under her gown.

Tenel Ka dropped her hand to cover his as he placed his head on her shoulder, simply holding her, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. She didn't protest, enjoying the sensations; the contentment. Enjoying the feel of _him_ as she always did when he held her. Her eyes closed and her head tilted back until it was resting on his shoulder, sighing softly.

Jacen placed a kiss on her cheek. "I love you."

Her lips curled into a rare contented smile at his soft words. "Take me to bed, Jacen. We have much to complete tomorrow."

He wasn't about to object to an order like that. While they couldn't do anything with Gidden sharing their quarters, he did intend to enjoy the feel of her sleeping in his arms. He moved, scooping her up into his arms, and turned, enjoying the way she didn't protest, though at any other time she might have.

Her head curled against his shoulder, her hand sliding up to rest against his collarbone.

Jacen crossed the room with easy, steady strides, dropping his head to kiss her tenderly as he crossed the threshold into their bedroom.

Tomorrow would be soon enough to worry.

* * *

Jacen shrugged out of his robe motioning for Gidden to do the same.

It had been several weeks since the attack on Ben, the party and the surprise visit of his parents. They had been thrilled to have a grandson, even an adopted one, and had taken the news they were likely to be grandparents several times over very well.

They also took the news of the assassination attempts with more grace and understanding than either Tenel Ka or Jacen had expected. They'd offered to help, but been assured Jana was looking into it; it would simply take time.

Tenel Ka had played the gracious host, taking it upon herself to find entertainment for both Han and Leia, though neither wanted Tenel Ka to over strain herself and Leia often spent more time admonishing the younger woman to slow down and think of the baby than anything else.

Han had convinced Jana and Scruffy to take turns with him on their practice range for speed and accuracy. To the surprise of both women, Han had lost none of the speed or accuracy with age that so often happened. Leia had confided that Han's secret was their active lifestyle. Jacen had quickly left his parents in the hands of their bodyguards, Jana and Tenel Ka.

It had left time for him to work on Gidden's training. For all their enthusiasm with Gidden, Gidden had been shy and nervous about suddenly inheriting more family. A child that had been on his own for far too long. He gravitated towards Jacen, and consequently, they spent a lot of time in the training salle.

Much to Jacen's surprise, Gidden proved to be adaptive and resourceful once he got down to learning the intricacies of sparring. The boy's physical handicaps, which the medics had offered - and been refused - to fix, had proved to be his greatest asset. His one leg, slightly too long, made for greater power when bent, and balanced him perfectly. It made for a pivot, providing extra power and reach to the boy's lanky frame.

Now, as they shrugged out of their robes, Jacen couldn't help but feel proud of his adopted son. Gidden had taken the challenges they'd presented and found a way to rise to each one. His speech patterns had improved to the point of being acceptable for court. His manners had come along nicely, allowing them to have the occasional dinner of state as a family. And his skills with the Force, while not advanced in some areas, were better in others that proved to balance him as a fighter.

Gidden's ability to adapt to unknown and uncertain situations was proving his greatest asset. He was slowly developing a personality that spoke of greater things to come if he continued to develop.

Gidden loped out onto the practice mat, taking up the rattan bar he'd been using since their initial sparring matches. He grinned at Jacen. "Ready, Jacen?"

Jacen chuckled, shaking his head. Gidden still wouldn't call him "daddy". "Don't be so eager for a butt kicking, son. Today we'll have an audience."

Gidden waved at the people lining the wall of the training salle. Luke and Mara, with Ben. Leia and Han and Tenel Ka. Everyone was present. Even Scruffy and Jana were hanging around to watch Gidden show off a little for his grandparents. Tenel Ka raised her arm, her slightly swollen belly just barely visible under her loose top. She was taking no chances, something Gidden finally understood.

He grinned as Leia blew him a kiss. "Thanks Grandma!"

"Mom!" Jacen's offence was good natured. For all Gidden's reticence in having a larger family instantly, he adored Leia.

Leia just waved him away, a smile on her face.

Jacen called the rattan length he'd be using to his hand from the wall and Gidden glowered. "Show off."

Jacen chuckled. "One day you may develop telekinetic powers, son. I didn't have mine until I was older than you are now."

"So you just use them because you can?"

Jacen chuckled. "I use them because it's more impressive for the audience. Ready?"

"And waiting." Gidden dropped into his defensive stance; the bar held out in front of him and lightly balanced.

Jacen twirled his baton once, the signal to begin, and swept in with an easy move to get them prepared. Gidden blocked the blow, his smaller stature allowing for greater speed than Jacen, and twirled, moving the rod above his head, batting one end and then the other of Jacen's as they came down in quick succession.

Jacen's smile turned almost feral, as it normally did when sparring with such an enthusiastic opponent, and he brought the staff in down low.

Gidden parried again, this time only a tap to keep it moving, and lightly hopped over the blade.

Jacen stretched out with the Force, testing Gidden's touch, and found his adopted son was already immersed in it, ready for more difficult maneuvers; eagerly anticipating them. So he obliged. His staff swept in high and then low in quick succession. Gidden ducked under the high one before sweeping the low one back to waist height - about crotch height for Jacen - and reversed, laughing an attack of his own.

Jacen was expecting it, bringing the staff on a roll to block the quick, lighting fast strikes all aimed at soft areas around his waist and legs. One thing Gidden had learned early on was to never over extend his reach. It resulted in bruises that needed to be nursed for long days on end.

Jacen let Gidden's blade get close before jumping up and away, going over the child's head and landing behind him. Gidden, caught off guard for only a moment, continued his forward momentum and ducked into a roll, coming to his feet on the opposite side of the mat.

The applause from the side line didn't register, but Gidden was dimly aware of the approval radiating off the other Jedi. His smile was wide with enjoyment as he added the Force to his abilities and jumped back into the ring. Jacen did the same, sensing his intentions, and they met mid air, Gidden face to face with Jacen, their hands working in a blur as they traded blows.

They landed, Jacen in a crouch, and Gidden going down on one knee even as he swept the blade forward.

Jacen blocked as he regained his feet, launching a counterattack at Gidden's vulnerable back.

Gidden frowned, flattening himself against the ground and earning a tap on the shoulder, before pushing back up and spinning to his feet, his staff held in the guard position once more. Jacen came in again and Gidden blocked before counter attacking. "That wasn't very nice, dad."

Jacen froze for half a second as Gidden's words registered. He blinked in astonishment as he realized that he'd just been called a father for the first time. His world suddenly tilted and the pain in the back of his knees was swift. He hit the mat, flat on his back, the air rushing from his lungs.

Gidden let out an excited yelp. "I did it! I finally got him!"

Tenel Ka strode out onto the mat, accepting the hug Gidden launched her way. "Very well done. Jacen did not appear to react."

Gidden grinned, squeezing her, but not too hard, before running towards Han and Leia with the intention of getting more.

Tenel Ka knelt by Jacen's side as he struggled to regain his breath, wheezing and coughing. She arched an eyebrow at him. "That appeared to be too easy."

"It doesn't matter." Jacen couldn't wipe the goofy grin off his face. "Didn't you hear? He called me dad!"

"Ah." She nodded, a half-smile tilting the corners of her lips. "Aha. This explains your sudden lack of response."

Jacen pushed himself up onto one elbow and pulled her down for a kiss. She braced herself on the ground with her hand and pulled away after a moment. "I can't believe he finally called me dad!"

Tenel Ka chuckled once. "I do not believe anyone heard it but you, Jacen. Your uncle and aunt appear amused."

Jacen looked beyond her to the entertained expressions on the other adult's faces. He shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "He got me good, didn't he?"

"Fact." Her gray eyes sparkled merrily. "You hit the mat very ungracefully."

His grin turned wicked. "I'll make you hit the mat if you're not nicer."

"That" she stated firmly, taking in his meaning, "is not a threat."

He chuckled and accepted the hand she extended to him. Together, they rose to their feet, balancing each other.

Luke and Mara arrived first, Han and Leia showering praise on their grandson. "I though I trained you better than that, Jacen." Luke's tone held all of the amusement clearly written on his face.

Jacen shrugged. "He earned one."

Tenel Ka elbowed him in the stomach. "Gidden played dirty."

"Oh?" Mara cast a glance at her great-step-nephew. "What did he do, tie your boot laces together with the Force?"

Jacen chuckled. "He called me dad for the first time."

"Excuses, excuses." Luke slapped him on the shoulder. "No shame in losing to a half-pint. I would know."

"Only yours was a Jedi Master." Mara reminded him pointedly. "This half-pint is Jacen's apprentice."

Jacen shrugged again. "He's come a long way since I first sparred with him. That Force leap is a new trick."

Luke squeezed Jacen's shoulder. "He has indeed if your reports were accurate. Don't worry about it; being called dad for the first time is something all fathers can appreciate."

"Thanks Uncle Luke." And it was those words that got Jacen through the next several hours of teasing.

* * *

"I don't like it." Mara shook her head. "Gidden may have come a long way in the last several weeks, but Ben is still afraid of him. Asking Gidden to help train him is only asking for trouble."

"Wouldn't that solve the problem?" Jacen looked from his aunt to his uncle and back again. "I mean, Gidden is still worried that Ben's going to end up hurting both Anakin and Kyp. Maybe if you included him in your training regime with Ben, he'd see what's being done about it."

Jacen could see their arguments were still strong, but also noted a weakening in his Uncle. Luke liked to evaluate most of the new Jedi face-to-face to see their progress. Jacen was giving him that opportunity.

Jacen pressed his luck. "It would also give you a chance to show Ben that Gidden isn't a bad kid. I mean, you could give Gidden exercises and have Ben watch, or even participate if they're within his capabilities. Ben's young, but capable."

Mara had opened her mouth to object but closed it with his last words. She wasn't about to argue the fact that her son was talented. It was obvious and she was more than a little bias. "But only with supervision?"

Jacen nodded. "Gidden is still learning about being an apprentice himself so I wouldn't want him alone with Ben anyway. He's learned that restraint is usually better, to let things develop without interfering, but he's still having trouble accepting it. Sometimes he can be a trying student."

Luke glanced at Mara and then nodded. "I'm willing if Gidden is willing. I'd like Mara to be there too. If you'll call Gidden, we can make the introductions now."

"Like we should have done weeks ago?" Jacen arched his eyebrows. "I'll grab him. I think this meeting might be better without Tenel Ka or I there. Gidden would feel pressured to react in a way to please us, instead of really trying to get to know Ben."

"You are his father." Mara said the words, tongue in cheek. "As long as you trust me not to strangle him if he tries to hurt Ben again."

Jacen smiled faintly. "I trust you'll do the right thing, aunt Mara. I'll go grab him."


	15. Chapter 15

Gidden hesitated on the threshold to the nursery. Mara was inside with Ben in her arms, gently tickling his tummy. "Aunt Mara?"

Mara was slow to turn. "Come in, Gidden."

Gidden still hesitated. "I don't wanna hurt Ben."

"So choose not to." She looked up from the now solemn, almost fearful child in her arms. "Every action we make is a choice. Something we have to consciously choose to do to make something else happen."

Gidden finally stepped into the room reluctantly and Ben let out a sound of protest. Mara calmed him with a hug, gently stroking his red hair. She motioned Gidden to come closer as she did, slowly moving into a crouching position. Ben whimpered, burying his face in her shoulder as Gidden came closer. He was trembling, terrified of the child who'd tried to kill him.

Gidden's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry Ben. I didn't know what I know now."

Ben didn't move, simply kept his face pressed against Mara's shoulder, continuing to whimper softly and tremble.

Gidden flinched at the hardening in Mara's eyes as Ben didn't respond. He backed away a step, swallowing convulsively. "I said I'm sorry, Ben. I mean it." He reached out, trying to reach the child through the Force.

Ben's Force presence was like a white hot iron in close proximity. Burning hotly, ready to do its job. Gidden sent soothing thoughts towards Ben even as he felt Mara doing the same, her anger at Gidden tightly leashed.

Ben's head slowly lifted and he peaked at Gidden, quickly ducking his head back to his mother's shoulder. His trembling was beginning to disappear, and Gidden took it as a good sign. He watched carefully, attempting to ignore the glower Mara was sending his way, and made a funny face the next time Ben peaked at him.

Ben giggled softly, ducking his head back to Mara's shoulder again, but his bright eyes peeked around her arm to spy at Gidden. Gidden stuck his tongue out at the toddler, inciting a laugh.

Mara's face partially cleared, but Gidden knew he was far from forgiven. This was just a starting point.

* * *

Luke watched his son and step-nephew as they sat on the floor, Gidden showing a level of patience with Ben that no one had predicted or expected.

Gidden was showing the toddler flash cards, encouraging him to identify each one. Ben, for his part, was clapping his hands and identifying them with various sounds and hand signals Gidden appeared to understand.

Ben exhibited rudimentary Force powers, the kind that were hard to control when the student didn't understand the implications or consequences of their actions. Thus, Gidden had proposed showing Ben the difference between right and wrong by using flash cards.

They were experimenting, showing Ben things that should make him sad, and things that should make him happy. Ben appeared to be understanding, much to Luke's surprise and pride. His son was a bright one.

Gidden grinned as Ben pointed from the flash card to his father. "Jedi."

"Good." Gidden turned his head slightly to regard the Master Jedi. "Ben's smart, Master Skywalker."

"Never doubted it." Luke's smile was faint. "Ben, do you know what a Sith is?"

Ben frowned. "Bad."

Gidden nodded, showing the picture of a Sith using their lightsaber to cut the arm off a person. "This is a Sith, Ben."

Ben pointed at the flash card. "Bad!" He repeated himself, making a slapping noise with his other hand. "Bad! Bad!"

Gidden nodded. "That's right. Sith is bad. Does Ben wanna be a Sith?"

Ben shook his head vigorously.

Luke chuckled; he couldn't help it. Ben was simply too cute. "Alright, Gidden, I think you boys have had enough for one day."

Gidden complied without protest, knowing he was still on shaky terms with the Skywalkers, and ruffled Ben's hair. "Bye Ben."

"Bye!" Ben grinned, waving his hands. Whatever animosity or fear he'd been feeling towards the other boy had quickly disappeared as Gidden had played with him over the course of the afternoon.

Gidden left the Skywalker's temporary apartments at a run. He'd been given time to spend with Ben in the hopes of making friends and now that he'd spent time with the toddler, he finally understood whatever had been trying to tell him all along.

Ben wasn't bad. Not inherently. He would learn to be bad somewhere in the future if he wasn't given the tools to deal with it. So Gidden had made it his personal quest to make sure Ben would have those tools; that Ben would be able to resist and refuse the darkside influences.

As Gidden ran through the hallways, a toothy smile crossed his still gaunt features. Having the Skywalkers in the palace made for some entertaining times. They were skilled, highly active people who constantly challenged his own parents in their thinking. They were compassionate and understanding, something Gidden had never been exposed to in his childhood until now.

While still foreign, it was a welcome change.

Gidden's spirits were high as he raced back towards his quarters. Tanner had promised to spend an hour with him in the pool. If he hurried, he'd make it just in time.

* * *

Over the course of the next few weeks, Gidden's progress with Ben was better than any of the adults had hoped. Ben began talking, identifying individual things as either bad or good, or "dunno". Slowly, the latter category was disappearing.

Leia and Han took the opportunity to get Gidden into the Falcon and out into space. So charmed was he by the experience, he wanted to know if they could teach him to be a smuggler instead of a Jedi. Han had laughed, telling him that he could do both if he really wanted, to which Gidden had been ecstatic.

Han and Leia conferred with Luke and Mara one evening, and presented Jacen and Tenel Ka with a surprise.

Neither couple would be leaving any time soon. Both had cleared their schedules and made arrangements to stick around and help defend against the assassins. In addition, Han and Leia hadn't spent much time in the Hapan capital, and while well known, could blend in with the people. So they were going to explore and see if they couldn't find leads to the assassins through the people.

They were quick to depart the next morning, promising to check back, as it was nearing the time when Tenel Ka's condition would be confirmed. Not only to the people, but they would be able to tell if she were carrying more than one child.

Something no one wanted to miss.

* * *

Tenel Ka's eyes snapped open to darkness. She lay still, listening to Jacen's even breathing even as she searched for the source of what had awoken her. The cool breeze coming in from the partially open window slid across her skin like the caress of a lover, tantalizingly soft.

The curtains rustled, but not with the sound of intrusion.

Tenel Ka cast her senses beyond, searching, and found Gidden sleeping peacefully, exhausted from his daily routine that was quickly becoming normal. He spent more time with Jana than she did learning the duties he would need to know.

Tenel Ka felt a tightness across her belly, a slight spasm. Her hand slid of its own accord across the taught flesh, gently massaging. She sent soothing thoughts to her child, hoping some day she'd have the sensation returned.

The child quieted for a moment before turning again, kicking out against the wall of its home.

Tenel Ka repeated her actions, gently rubbing her belly and sending the child soothing thoughts. She projected the image of a warm day, the soothing sounds of the ocean hitting the beach; sounds she could hear ever so faintly in the distance.

Rebellion greeted her for the briefest of moments and a second presence made itself known, supporting her soothing thoughts. She gasps unintentionally, the wonder of the moment overcoming her natural barriers.

Twins! She could feel them individually. One rebellious, the other supportive. Then, they faded, and she simply felt their presence as one. She closed her eyes against the sensation, the feeling of contentedness that settled over her more calming than the hottest of bubble baths.

Her children, _their _children had communicated with her. She'd been carrying them for five months now and they had finally gained enough awareness, enough consciousness, to reach out. She sighed softly, turning onto her side to ease the aches, and stretched her arm out to gently touch Jacen.

He didn't stir under her touch, be he did curl into it. She gently placed a kiss on his bare back, between his shoulder blades before letting her head rest comfortably against his, her hand curling slightly against his skin.

_I will wait to tell him,_ she decided in that moment. _Tomorrow is soon enough to confirm what I now know._

It was that pleasant thought that followed her back into slumber.

* * *

Jacen looked as if he'd been sucker punched. "Twins?" He fairly croaked the word. He'd been preparing for it mentally, but secretly hoping they'd be wrong. A single child would have been far easier to deal with.

Tenel Ka searched his face. "This does not please you."

"Oh no, no no." Jacen hurried to assure her, still trying to find the inner balance that had been lost with her words. "It pleases me. In fact, I'm very happy. But you're sure you're carrying twins?"

She nodded once.

"Then we should get it confirmed." He cast about for options. "The medics are loyal to you, bound by their oaths. Perhaps we should have them check you over to ensure that there's nothing wrong. You know, make sure the kids are healthy."

She arched an eyebrow, not buying his solicitous attitude. "Jacen."

He pushed up from his chair, pacing back and forth, unable to help himself from expending the nervous energy. Twins! He was a twin, he knew how much trouble they'd been, how could his own children possibly be more relaxed.

"Jacen."

He didn't pause. "Yeah?"

Tenel Ka watched him, her gray eyes concerned. "We discussed this possibility - this likelihood. Surely it is not that much of a shock."

"I was kind of hoping for just one." He flushed, unable to look at her as he continued to pace. "I mean, we already have Gidden, and now we're going to have two more children? We never get any time alone as it is!"

"We are not alone now?" Her amusement was indicative in her mild tone.

"It's not the same thing."

"Is it not?"

"No. It's not." He rounded on her. "On Yuuzhan'tar we were alone."

"Until we met Flynn and Vola." Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow at him. "Or do they not count?"

Jacen waved his hand in disgust as if to dismiss it. "We're alone right now, together, just you and me and the baby - babies!" His tone sounded almost aggrieved. "Children who can obviously feel the Force. How am I supposed to make love to you when I know they'll feel it?"

"Ah." Her eyes sparkled merrily. "Aha. This is the source of your discomfort."

"Part of it."

She laughed, that rare musically enchanting tone that always brought a thankful smile to Jacen's face. "Jacen, are you intending on giving Gidden a lesson in love making?"

"No."

"Do you then propose we move him back to his room? For you will be if we do not."

"No." His answer was reluctant. "It's been weeks and I just want some time alone with my wife. Is that too much to ask?"

"Being alone with me caused this condition." Her amusement faded. "Do you truly not want more than one child?"

He stopped pacing, turning to face her. He ran one hand through his hair before sighing. "I sound down right peevish, don't I?" He stepped to the couch and settled in beside her. "I'm sorry, it's just with everything that's happening how are we going to keep track of two new babies? We're already having trouble keeping one child out of danger, and he can mostly fend for himself."

She remained silent, knowing he needed to get it off his chest.

Jacen tilted his head back until it came to rest against the back of the couch. "It's not that I don't want more than one child, Tenel Ka. Trust me," he flashed her a roguish grin. "It's just... I don't know if I'm ready to be a father yet."

"And Gidden?"

"He's different."

"How so?"

Jacen shrugged. "He's not really mine. He could just up and leave one day and I have no blood ties with which to hold him here."

"I do not think it is the blood tie that enables him to call you father." Her lips were tilted ever so slightly in a tolerant smile. "Gidden is as much our child as these ones will be, Jacen. You have been wonderful with him. I do not doubt you are ready to be a father; you will be a wonderful one."

"I hope so." He turned, brushing a strand of hair off her cheek. "Should we wait until my folks get up to get you checked or do you want to spring a confirmed surprise on them?"

She caught his hand. "Let us confirm how many children we are to have. Then we may inform our families. It is better to be right the first time."

Jacen allowed himself to be pulled off the couch and followed Tenel Ka from their chambers. He still wasn't certain if he was ready to be a father, but her words and actions reassured him. Whatever they weren't ready for they would face together.

* * *

Leia seated herself in the main room of the Royal couple's chambers. Tenel Ka thanked the server who placed a refreshment tray on the table before departing soundlessly.

Leia helped herself to the tea and finger sandwiches the server had brought, smiling her thanks. Tenel Ka didn't stand on ceremony; especially with her mother-in-law. "So what's this big announcement you and Jacen have?"

Tenel Ka poured herself a cup of the tea. "We will not be having one child."

Leia arched her eyebrows. "Oh?"

"I had hoped to speak with you regarding your experience carrying the twins."

"So you're carrying twins? The doctor confirmed it?"

"Not exactly."

Leia regarded her puzzled. "Either you are or you aren't. Twins aren't one and a half persons."

"Neither are triplets."

Leia blinked, completely stunned by the revelation. "You're carrying triplets?"

Tenel Ka nodded her hand dropping to her swollen belly. "It explains why I have increased to such a size at only five months. We cannot hide the news of the babies from our people any longer."

"Three babies." Leia repeated the words softly to herself, not seeming to have heard Tenel Ka's disclosure. "Did the medic say if they're boys or girls?"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "We did not ask."

"Then you haven't picked names yet."

"I did not say that." Tenel Ka took a sip of her tea before replacing the cup on the table.

"But, how can you pick names if you don't know if you're having boys or girls?"

"Gidden has long professed that he will be a big brother. He has spoken of a sister and a brother. At times, two sisters. It stands to reason our children will be two girls and a boy."

"But how do you know for sure?"

"We do not." And it really didn't bother Tenel Ka. It was the responsibility of carrying not just one, but _three_ lives in her body that was of a concern.

"So you'll just take Gidden's vision as fact?"

"I have no reason not to. Jacen has also spoken of a girl - possibly one of the triplets."

"So..." Leia stopped. "Do you have names picked then?"

"Possibilities." Tenel Ka's lips twitched. Her mother-in-law looked so disappointed and deflated. "Layne, Tana and Jarid."

Leia mouthed the names, smiling and nodding once. "I like them."

"Jacen insisted we did not name them after Dathomiri warriors. I admit I was tempted."

Leia laughed. "That son of mine. Why ever did you marry him?"

Tenel Ka simply cocked her head to the side. "Need you ask?"

"I suppose I don't. Your condition indicates one possible reason." Leia grinned. "I'm teasing, I know you love him. I've always been surprised by your attachment to him."

"Why?"

Leia settled back in her chair, sipping her tea. "You have always been so different. Jacen took nothing seriously as a child. He often thought many things to be games, or simple amusements. You, on the other hand, took everything seriously."

"Except him."

Leia inclined her head at the correction. "I guess I've always been surprised that such polar opposites could find middle ground."

"And now?"

Leia chuckled softly. "Now you're better matched than ever. His change at the hands of Vergere and yours by being forced to take the crown have led you to be compatible. More than you were before. Both of you have grown, been forced to accept loss. Jacen was forced to take the world, the galaxy seriously if he wanted to survive. You had to find a little humor in it." She grinned. "Both of you have grown into remarkable people."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Leia took another sip of her tea. "I also believe you'll make good parents. If Gidden has been any indication, you've both taken to it with relish and ease."

"Harder than you would think."

Leia smiled faintly. "No one wants to make a mistake with their first." She sighed. "I did with both of mine. Triplets won't be easy for you two. Even with all this." She waved her hand around.

"We did not expect it to be easy, Leia."

"I never said you did. But kids aren't something anyone really knows how to handle until they arrive and then it's trial and error. Both of you are lucky to have Gidden. He may be advanced beyond certain stages, but he's young enough to teach you a thing or two before the rest arrive." She sighed wistfully. "I sometimes think Han and I should have adopted before we had our own."

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Forgive me if I cannot picture you with an adopted son or daughter."

"I don't blame you." She sighed again, taking another sip of her tea. "Han and I were really lousy parents."

"Pardon?"

Leia smiled ruefully. "You heard me. Han and I weren't the best of parents. We did what we could, but we could have done so much more! They spent their early years with Winter and their later years at the academy. What kind of life is that for a child?" She shook her head. "No, I have no illusions about our parenting skills. I sometimes wish we could do it all over again."

"Did you not when you had Anakin?"

"I suppose we did." Leia sat silently for a moment before speaking again. "If it hadn't been for Tarc, we'd have lost Anakin in the war for good. Yes, we did better, but I think Luke and Mara were more of an influence in his life."

"Jacen and Jaina have turned out fine, Leia." Tenel Ka strove to assure the older woman; briefly wondering if that would be her in 20 years.

"My son is someone to be proud of yes, you're right. Jaina..." Leia shook her head sadly. "The war changed her and not for the better. We don't speak very much anymore, but what I do hear about are the men. She simply can't choose."

"When you are courted by two or three equally handsome and talented men, why should she?" Tenel Ka's tone was mildly amused. "Jaina will decide eventually."

"I certainly hope so." Leia took another sip of her tea and changed the topics. "So how did you choose your baby names?"

"They were not easy." Tenel Ka assured her. "Vola assisted me."

"Vola. That charming Yuuzhan Vong girl?"

"The same."

Leia's eyes sparkled. For though Vola's people had almost stolen Anakin from her for good, Vola herself exhibited none of their qualities. In fact, she and Leia had schemed in their first meeting for ways to keep Tenel Ka off her feet for extended periods of time. They'd also spent subsequent meetings designing Vola's wedding gown and planning the ceremony - in addition to Tenel Ka's input of course.

While Leia wasn't overly fond of Tenel Ka's cousin, Flynn, she couldn't find fault with his feelings for the alien girl.

"Did she tell you where she got them?"

"I did not ask." Tenel Ka shrugged, taking another sip of her tea. "Where the names came from is of no importance as they are not names from one individual. For example, Layne is a combination of names."

"Oh?"

Tenel Ka nodded once. "L represents your name. AY represents my grandmother, Augwynne and the NE is represents her generation. She will be the Next Heir; after Gidden."

"How ingenious." Leia couldn't help but be flattered. "And you said Layne will be your oldest?"

"That is correct." Tenel Ka's lips twitched. "Unless the eldest is Jarid."

Leia laughed softly. "I'm flattered. Jarid is of course named after his father?"

Tenel Ka nodded. "Jacen - Anakin - Royal - Isolder. We could not think of a name in either family beginning with R."

Leia thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't think there's one on my side, or on Han's. It's a very nice way of coming up with a name."

Tenel Ka inclined her head. "Thank you. More tea?"

Leia glanced down and her cup and then smiled ruefully. "I really should be going. I promised Gidden I'd go swim with him and Tanner this afternoon. It's about that time."

Tenel Ka pushed to her feet awkwardly. Her belly was starting to affect her balance. "Thank you for joining me, Leia. I trust we will do this again?"

"Soon, Tenel Ka. Before the kids are here." Leia's promise was accompanied with a smile as she headed for the door.

Tenel Ka rang the bell for the attendant, who appeared almost instantly, and waved the food and refreshments away. She turned, heading for the bedroom, a wave of exhaustion hitting her as she stood. The children she was carrying were sapping her strength, and she found she needed more sleep, and several naps, through the day.

For a warrior used to long hours it was very frustrating.

* * *

Han skipped another rock into the surf lapping against the edge of the beach. "A strange place for a chat, kid."

Jacen mimicked his father's movements, sending a rock to its watery grave. "I wasn't sure you'd come if I suggested another location. Though maybe we should have talked on the _Falcon_."

Han shrugged. "Nah. The old girl can use a rest. Besides, your mother is all excited about the idea of being a real grandparent; the cargo hold is full of things she seems to think you'll need eventually."

"Not our old baby stuff."

Han snorted. "Nothing that sentimental. It's all new stuff. Never give that woman a line of credit."

Jacen laughed. "You're not exactly in the poor house yet."

"True enough." Han skipped another rock. "So what'd you want to talk about, son?"

Jacen took the opportunity to settle onto one of the large rocks dotting the coast line. "We were able to confirm Tenel Ka's pregnancy today, dad."

"What, her size isn't enough?"

Jacen smiled faintly, the stress lines around his mouth going white. "I meant if she was carrying more than one child."

Han turned around to look at his eldest son. "So spit it out already. I'm assuming she is by the look on your face."

"That obvious, huh?"

"Boys or girls?"

"We didn't ask." Jacen looked beyond his father to the rolling waves of the ocean. He was still searching for balance in the revelation. Yes, he'd thought about the possibility of more than one child, but he hadn't thought about it as a probable occurrence.

Han moved to sit next to Jacen, his posture slightly awkward. "I know what you must be going through, son. I was scared when your mother said she was carrying twins too."

Scared. Jacen turned the word over in his mind. Terrified was better. "So what'd you do about it?"

"I got by." Han followed his son's line of vision. "I learned that your mother was a crabby, spiteful, hormone driven - beautiful woman who couldn't be happier. We'd wanted kids, planned for it, we just hadn't expected both of you show up at the same time."

Jacen digested his father words in silence. "What if we'd been a surprise?"

Han slapped his son on the shoulder. "Never an unwanted one. Look at Anakin."

"Mom tells it differently." Jacen slanted a look at his father. "She said Jaina and I were unplanned and Anakin was intentional."

"There, ya see?" Han nodded as if in satisfaction. "You weren't unwanted, just unexpected. Surely your of twins aren't unwanted."

"Triplets."

Han seemed to freeze for a moment. "What?"

"Triplets." Jacen smiled faintly. "Tenel Ka's carrying triplets."

"No kidding?"

Jacen shook his head.

"Well son, when you do something, you sure do it right." Han smacked Jacen on the shoulder. "And you didn't ask if they're boys or girls?"

"I don't think we need to." Jacen turned his gaze back to the ocean as his father's hand fell away. "Gidden is adamant he's going to be an older brother of two sisters and one brother. Given the frequency of his visions regarding his siblings, we have no reason to think he's wrong."

"Then have you picked names already?"

Jacen nodded. "Tenel Ka and Vola did. I have no reason to object since they're all acronyms to represent people in the family. Only they couldn't find use for an H, so your last name is all they'll have."

"Enough, ain't it?" Han chuckled. "You never did answer my question."

"Which one?"

"Are your triplets unwanted?"

Jacen shook his head adamantly. "Oh no, never."

"Just a shock, huh?"

"Yeah." Jacen absently lifted his hand, levitating a couple of rocks with a minimum of thought. "I mean, I was thrilled when she told me about the possibility of one baby. But three?" He sighed. "Dad, what if I fail them?"

"I thought the same think with you and your sister, son. All you can do is your best. Be understanding parents, encourage their strengths, and let them make their own mistakes."

"Is that what you did with us?"

"Hell no!" Han grinned roguishly. "Winter fairly raised you guys, that's what I've learned from hind sight. It's not the easiest thing, but I think if we'd made you guys take responsibility for your actions as children we'd have had better luck with you in your teenage years."

"Meaning we wouldn't be such screw ups?" Jacen grinned. "I'm kidding."

Han pushed back to his feet. "You'll make a fine father, Jacen. Come on, let's go find that friend of your, Flynn. He owes me a game of sabacc and a half dozen credits."

Jacen didn't object, but some of his fears had been quieted by the awkward talk. He would simply have to choose a path and act on it. In this instance, choosing the path was a no-brainer. It was acting on what the path would require that would take all of his courage and conviction.

He still wasn't certain he was ready, but he was more than willing to try.

* * *

Vola and Flynn's wedding was set up amidst the whirl wind excitement of the triplet's announcement. Tenel Ka put the palace designers and seamstresses to work creating Vola's gown. She also had them fit Flynn for formal wear, even if she knew he'd only wear it the once.

Leia managed to coerce Tenel Ka's chef into making a cake for the couple, one that was several layers and would be big enough for them to share amongst all of their guests.

The guest list had grown to include all of the Solos and Skywalkers, as well as Jana and the bodyguards assigned to them. Scruffy had also garnered an invite for her hard work in keeping the couple safe and comfortable.

Unfortunately, the security staff had declined, but the guest list was now long enough that Tenel Ka insisted they use the private beach front at the back of the Fountain palace and the accompanying terrace for their small after party.

Gidden and Ben were even included; Ben enlisted to carry the tokens to be exchanged - with Gidden's help - to the delight of both boys.

Jacen couldn't help but remember the similar ceremony less than a year ago on Yuuzhan'tar where he and Tenel Ka had finally said their vows. It had been hastily arranged to avoid conflict with the laws and customs that governed the community, but it had been theirs none-the-less.

Her hand slid into his. "Brings back memories, does it not?"

The smile he turned on his wife was soft as they watched the maids and footmen fussing over the arrangements for the next day. "All of them good. I wouldn't trade the way we finally married for anything."

Tenel Ka's lips spread into the slightest of smiles but he could see the softness in her eyes, the sparkle that always accompanied the memory. "Nor I."

Jacen removed his hard from hers and slid it around her shoulders, enjoying the feel of her arm sliding around his waist, her head coming to rest on his shoulder. "Do you regret having me kidnap you?"

She shook her head. "It is a family tradition, or so your mother tells me. I cannot regret being yours, nor you mine, Jacen. I never will, regardless of how we arrived here."

He laid his head against the top of hers for a brief moment, idly wondering what he'd done to deserve the love of the remarkable woman in his arms. Sometimes it amazed him that she was still with him - and then he caught her gaze, and could only be thankful. "Shouldn't you be sitting?"

She made a sound in the back of her throat. "I sit too much."

He chuckled softly, kissing the top of her head. "It's for the good of the babies, love."

"Everything is for the good of the babies." Her tone held exasperation. "I have been told I do not need to stop any of my daily activities until it becomes uncomfortable to do so. The only uncomfortable thing is your mother's insistence that over activity is bad for the baby."

"I trust you told her off."

"Frequently."

"Good." He squeezed her shoulders. "My mother has no room to talk. According to my father, she was active right up until the time we were born."

"You were also under threat of kidnapping before you were born." Tenel Ka's tone was dry. "Your mother had no choice."

Jacen shrugged. "Whatever. The point is that it didn't do us any harm. Why should you stop doing the things you love if they're not going to harm the baby?"

"I should not."

"Exactly." He smiled against her hair, inhaling her exotic scent with every breath. "Mom will get over it, you'll just have to be patient with her."

"Mamma?" Gidden appeared at her side, his blue eyes wide.

"Yes, Gidden?"

"Grandma Leia says you should sit down."

Jacen reached over to ruffle the youngster's hair. "Grandma Leia needs to mind her own business. We'll sit in a few moments."

Gidden looked torn between following his 'orders' from Leia, and Jacen's assurance they would be followed eventually. "She won't like that, dad."

"Not my problem, son." He winked at the boy. "Go tell her Vola needs a hand with her pattern, will you?"

Gidden's face brightened and he darted off again, eager to please.

Jacen chuckled softly. "That boy."

"He has risen to the challenge of palace life very well in the last few months, has he not?" Tenel Ka's tone was motherly; proud.

Jacen wasn't about to argue. "He's one remarkable kid, that's for sure."

Tenel Ka's gaze went beyond the people to the water gently lapping at the sand bank down the beach. "Would you care to join me for a walk, Jacen?"

"Milady, I thought you'd never ask." He removed his arms from around her shoulders and offered it to her. She gracefully accepted, and allowed him to escort her down to the sand.

She kicked off the sandals she wore before stepping down onto the beach, unable to suppress a sigh of relief as the sand absorbed and dissipated her weight, easing the strain on her feet.

"A little sore, love?"

"Fact." She rotated first one ankle and then the other, placing her feet with care. "I feel as if I have doubled in size."

Jacen ran his free hand down to cover her belly, gently stroking the tight skin. "You've never looked lovelier, Tenel Ka."

"You prefer fat women?"

"On the contrary." He chuckled softly, pulling her closer. "But I do like my _woman_ gravid with my baby."

"Babies."

"Whatever." His other hand dropped hers, sliding around to encircle her waist, and bringing her flush against him as much as he could. "Baby, babies; you have a glow about you that wasn't there before. You really are beautiful, gorgeous, stunning... all of them."

"Jacen." She whispered his name, her hand sliding up his chest.

Jacen caught it, held it there even as his head tilted downward, bypassing her mouth to place a gentle kiss on the column of her neck. Her eyes drifted shut as she tilted her head away from him, arching her neck into his kiss.

The water lapped at their toes, the lights from the patio faintly illuminating them against the darkness of the ocean. But they could have been the only people on the planet for all the attention they spared the outside influences.

Jacen's hand slid up her back even as his mouth gently ravaged the soft skin of her neck. Her hand wrapped around the material at the base of his throat, her sighs more like whimpers, almost as if begging for more.

His mouth slid up, along her jaw line, nibbling the bone teasingly until she made a noise of protest in the back of her throat. He chuckled against her skin, his breath teasing the slight dampness and making her shiver.

"Jacen!" She gasped his name; both protest and plea.

He relented, claiming her mouth with a sensual kiss that left them both breathless. Her hand slid up to the back of his neck, applying pressure to bring him closer.

But she couldn't. Her distended belly prevented the contact she craved, making it impossible to be flush against him, chest to hip. She pulled way, breathing raggedly, with a sound of frustration.

Jacen blinked as she turned away, presenting him with her back. He could read the tension in her body, see that she was frustrated. He didn't think, simply stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her back flush against his front.

Tenel Ka closed her eyes against the sensation, her hand dropping to cover his where they rested low on her belly. She leaned back, letting him take her weight.

"It's alright, Tenel Ka. I promise."

"It is frustrating." She returned. "I want to feel..."

He nudged her bottom with his hips, chuckling softly. "That?"

"Jacen." Her tone was exasperated.

He lowered his head, resting it on her shoulder and stared out across the ocean. "I can't help it if I still find your state desirable, Tenel Ka. Surely you prefer this to if I didn't want to touch you."

"Fact." She sighed. "I am simply frustrated, Jacen. I do not feel as if my body is mine anymore."

"Four more months, love. After that, you can have me fixed if you'd like."

She chuckled softly at his offer. "I will consider it."

They stood in silence for long moments before Jacen finally lifted his head. "We should head back. We've a long day tomorrow and the sun set long ago."

She sighed, inhaling the soft sea breeze. "You are right. Vola and Flynn will need our support tomorrow."

Jacen kissed her cheek and reluctantly released her. Together they made their way back towards where the preparations for the next day's ceremony were being completed at last. They bid everyone goodnight and retired.

To Jacen's dismay, Tenel Ka was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.


	16. Chapter 16

The wedding ceremony for Vola and Flynn the following evening was short, sweet and poignant.

Vola, having opted for a short dress that was more summer than formal, positively glowed in the off white fabric that contrasted beautifully with the color of her skin.

Flynn, for his part, was dressed in semi-formal attire. His short-pants were long, cut just at the knee, his shirt the same color as Vola's dress but open at the collar.

Both wore sandals for comfort as they would be walking on the beach.

Jacen was officiating. As the King of Hapes, he had the power to make their union binding and legal - provided the Queen Mother didn't object. And she hadn't, in fact she'd insisted he be the one to officiate due to her condition and the length of time that he would be required to stand.

Jacen had carefully prepared the ceremony to reflect the beliefs Vola and Flynn had grown up with. He'd mirrored it after the one he and Tenel Ka had gone through in the hopes that he wouldn't be committing a faux-pas.

They had chosen to write their own vows before Jacen had been approached, for which Jacen was grateful.

As everyone took their seats, Jacen waited at the front, one finger tapping nervously against his thigh. He'd never preformed a marriage ceremony before.

Vola and Flynn appeared separately, staring at one another in shock.

Flynn looked dashing, his hair combed neatly into place, trailing against his collar at the back.

Vola, for her part, had been talked into allowing Leia and Mara to spread sparkles on her face and hair. Her hair was swept back, artfully arranged into a peak that allowed it to fall where it wanted around her shoulders and back.

They met each other in the center of the clearing, in front of Jacen. Vola's hands trembled as Flynn offered his to her. She took them, squeezing gratefully, tears lining her lashes even as her shy, but beautiful smile displayed itself prominently.

Jacen chuckled softly. "We can make the vows private if you want."

Vola shook her head, her gaze on Flynn's.

Flynn agreed. "No way, man. Everyone should hear why I'm marrying her."

"Very well." Jacen held his hands up for silence, though it was unnecessary. "It has been agreed that the vows are to be public. In accordance with Vola and Flynn's traditions, there will be dancing and a feast tomorrow to celebrate the first night of the bride and groom."

He took a deep breath, modulating his tone, calling on the Force to bolster his memory of his own wedding ceremony and what was said. Slowly, he began to speak. "Before you speak your vows, you must understand the enormity of the step you're about to take. Matrimony is not to be entered into lightly. It is a binding contract, an agreement, which can only be dissolved by death. It is to tie you together in sickness, health, through bad times and the good. It is an expression of love and devotion. Do you both swear you are entering this with your eyes open and of your own accord?"

Both Flynn and Vola turned to look at him in astonishment, and he could_feel_ the approval from Flynn. While it wasn't their traditional vows, it was the version they'd seen Tenel Ka and Jacen go through; something both could appreciate as binding on any world.

"I swear."

"I swear, also." Vola's voice was soft, but no less convincing.

Jacen eyes sparkled with delight that they approved. He nodded to Vola. "Vola Yim, speak your vows. Choose your words carefully, for they are binding and permanent."

Vola swallowed almost visibly, taking a couple of moments to gather her thoughts. "Flynn, you have been ever my friend. You took me in when others wished to shun me, showed me kindness and compassions. You took the time to educate me, to challenge me, and have been my best and truest friend through all our trials. You showed me that one doesn't have to be human to love. I swear I will love you to the end of my days and beyond."

There was the sound of someone sniffling as Vola spoke, her words holding a conviction that would be hard to dispute.

Jacen turned to Flynn. "Flynn Ne'Djo, speak your vows. Choose your words carefully, for they are binding and permanent."

Flynn licked his lips, his voice shaking as he began to speak. "Vola, since the day I met you as a shy orphan I knew you were special. You were different than anyone I had ever met. Sweet, kind by nature, and shy, but always fierce in your protection and devotion. You have been my one true friend, always standing by me through the tough spots and enjoying our freedom. You taught me what it was to love another person; you taught me what it was to love myself. My heart has been yours since the day I met you, and it will remain so until the spark of our galaxy dies."

Vola has tears running down her cheeks by the time Flynn finished speaking. Jacen could feel the lump in his own throat, touched by the simple sincerity and brevity of their vows. He cleared his throat.

"Exchange your tokens."

Ben and Gidden appeared, walking towards the dais, Ben holding a folded cloth, Gidden holding Ben's shoulders so he wouldn't fall. They arrived without mishap, and Ben extended the folded cloth to Flynn. Flynn ruffled his hair. "Thanks little man."

Ben smiled widely, beaming, and Gidden guided him away to sit with their parents.

Flynn slowly unwrapped the bundle, revealing a Dathomirian fidelity knot, like the one Jacen wore, but black. Jacen's gaze flew to Vola's hair and he thought he could detect one lock that was shorter than the others.

Flynn grabbed his attention again before he could comment. Flynn's token to Vola was a ring. Not just any ring. The ring appeared to be made of polished platinum with obsidian and onyx embedded in the band. Somehow, Flynn had managed to get the Platinum ring to shine the same shade of violet as Vola's eyes.

Vola gasped, it coming out as half a sob, as Flynn slid the ring onto her hand. She was trembling so badly that when she moved to place the fidelity knot on Flynn's wrist, Jacen took pity on her and assisted.

Finally, their tokens exchanged, Jacen grinned. "Flynn, you may kiss your bride."

The words were barely out of his mouth before Vola had launched herself into Flynn's arms. Their lips met and applause from their audience were whole-hearted in their approval.

Jacen couldn't keep a stupid smile off his face as he indicated the still kissing couple. "Just give them a minute, folks, they're a little excited."

His family laughed, Tenel Ka simply shaking her head at his levity. Finally, Flynn and Vola pulled away and Jacen motioned them to a nearby table where they could sign the documents that would make their marriage official. Leia and Han had agreed to sign as their witnesses and did so with soft "Congratulations" to the newly married couple.

Jacen finally raised his arms and finished the ceremony officially. "I am pleased to present the newlyweds. Vola and Flynn Ne'Djo."

The applause was quick and vivacious, quickly dispersed with personal congratulations from each attendee.

Flynn wrapped his arm around Vola's waist, smiling enthusiastically as they thanked everyone for their hard work in making the wedding special.

Jacen worked his way over to Tenel Ka, pulling up a seat beside her as his relatives monopolized their guests. "They sure make a stunning couple, don't they?"

"Fact." Tenel Ka's eyes were sparkling. "You make a good holy man."

Jacen coughed. "Ha! I just repeated the same ceremony we went through to get married."

"And they appreciated it." Her remark was pointed. "It may not have been their main traditions, but it was close enough. You did them proud, my love."

He caught her hand, bringing it to his lips in an uncharacteristic gesture and grinned as he kissed the back of her hand. "Anything to make my lady proud of me."

She arched an eyebrow without comment.

Jacen lowered her hand but didn't release it. "Did they say where they were going to honeymoon?"

"Two months on the Island Fortress." Her look dared him to comment.

"Two months?" He blinked before grinning. "It won't be long enough."

Tenel Ka turned her gaze on where Vola and Flynn were moving towards them. She pushed awkwardly to her feet, Jacen on his a moment later as Flynn and Vola stopped.

Vola's face was tear streaked but there was no mistaking the joy in her purple eyes or the glow on her face. "Jacen, thank you!" She pulled him into a hug as Flynn did the same to Tenel Ka.

Jacen patted Vola gently on the back. "I couldn't say no once you asked me. I'm happy for both of you; you really do make a great couple."

Vola blushed prettily but her smile didn't fade as she traded Flynn and hugged Tenel Ka as Flynn hugged Jacen.

The pleasantries were over quickly, with Vola and Flynn wanting to head out to the Island Fortress as soon as possible. They left with almost indecorous haste, leaving the Solos and Skywalkers to enjoy the meal the chef had prepared.

No one complained at the hasty departure, though it proved to be a source of great amusement once the children had been put to bed. Amusement that led to the breakup of the party into the respective couples. Couples who spent the rest of the night reminiscing about their own wedding nights.

There were worse ways to spend an evening.

* * *

With Vola and Flynn's departure on their Honeymoon, things settled back into routine. Gidden continued his lessons with Jana, Luke and Ben. He also made time to bring Tenel Ka strange, but sweet, gifts; a rock with pretty colors, flowers he'd never seen before or shiny trinkets found in the shadows of the unused rooms of the palace.

Mara's help had been enlisted in tracking down the assassins, and she spent many long hours poring over what information was available. She in turn drafted Leia to help. Han escaped by claiming ignorance of diplomatic intricacies. While neither Mara nor Leia bought it, they let him get away. Han spent most days shadowing the guards, chatting them up, getting to know them.

He did what he could, what he was best at, to contribute and faithfully reported his findings to Mara.

Isolder had disappeared after the celebration, promising to make a reappearance, but not yet finished the assignment which he'd been given previously.

Jacen had commented on more than one occasion that this fiasco was turning into a family affair. Tenel Ka's temper was starting to fray as she entered her sixth month of pregnancy and for someone as controlled as she; the lapses in control were almost as frustrating afterwards as during. Jacen was solicitous, jumping to her every command and never losing his temper. He understood she was being affected by interior influences and did his best to make things as easy as possible for her.

It didn't help when the doctor gave her the news that she was to spend as little time on her feet as possible.

Essentially bed ridden, Tenel Ka's temper became foul and even Gidden started to avoid her. Her only companion, and often target for her abuse, was Jacen. Through it all, he never failed to lose sight of why she was acting the way she was. He was more than relieved, however, when the news came from Jana one morning of a familiar ship approaching.

"What?" Tenel Ka snapped the command as she hit the button of the private link in their bed chamber.

Jana's image inclined her head to the Queen Mother. "There is a ship approaching, your majesty, requesting clearance to land in your private zone next to the _Falcon_."

"Send it away."

"The signature accompanying the ship indicates it's an acquaintance of yours."

"I have no time for your games Jana."

Jacen intervened. "Which old friend, Jana?"

"Zekk, sire."

"Then the ship is the _Lightning Rod_?" He perked up. "A battered space freighter, right?"

"Right."

Jacen grinned. "Give him permission to land; I'll let Master Skywalkers know he's here. Is Gidden with you?"

"He is."

"Send him down to the landing pad too - Zekk's here to help him with his training."

"As you wish, sire."

Tenel Ka made to get off the bed as Jacen closed down the link. "Woah, where do you think you're going?"

She glared at him. "I am coming to greet our guest. Where Zekk is, Jaina is not far behind."

"Then neither is Kyp, but that's beside the point. This isn't essential walking."

She pushed him away as he attempted to get her back into bed. "It is, Jacen. I am going stir crazy in this room!"

Jacen stopped and looked at her for a brief moment before nodding reluctantly. "I'm inclined to agree. Alright, but hurry, if they're requesting clearance, they can't be far away."

Tenel Ka wasted no time in getting ready for their new guest.

* * *

The hatch to the _Lightning Rod_ hissed open and the whole ship seemed to creek as the pressure was equalized to the world's. Jacen winced. Someday that battered freighter was going to collapse around Zekk's ears. The first person who appeared at the top of the ramp wasn't someone he was expecting to see. "Anakin?"

Anakin Solo grinned as he caught sight of his brother and Tenel Ka. "Jacen!" He did a double take of his brother's wife "Tenel Ka? Is that you?"

"Fact." Her tone was dry. "Welcome to Hapes Anakin."

"Wow, Jacen sure knocked you up good."

"Don't be so insensitive dummy." Tahiri appeared, swatting Anakin and chasing him out of the ship. "Hi Jacen, Tenel Ka."

"Tahiri."

Jacen chuckled as the feisty blonde chased Anakin down the ramp, threatening retribution for his insensitive remark. Kyp Durron appeared after they'd vacated the ramp. "Go easy on him, Tahiri. He's never seen a pregnant woman before."

"Only his aunt Mara." Came the sing-song reply. "Hold still, dummy, you need a good lickin'!"

Kyp strode down the ramp, his trademark cape flaring out dramatically behind him. He chuckled. "I don't think you intend to lick him when you get your hands on him. Hey Jacen. Tenel Ka, you look as lovely as ever." He bowed to her with a flourish.

Tenel Ka stared at him. "Master Durron, you are ever the liar."

"Ah," his eyes sparkled. "But I'm a good one and this time I mean it. Motherhood suits you."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He turned back towards the ship. "Zekk! Jaina! Get your butts out here!"

A banging sound inside the ship was followed by a muffled curse. Kyp smirked. "I don't think Zekk's used to having so much human cargo on board."

Jacen didn't ask. If Zekk had transported all of them here, then the_Lightning Rod_ was at full capacity. There also had to be a reason as to why they were all here. They hadn't even told them about Tenel Ka carrying triplets yet.

Finally, the tall, lanky Jedi appeared at the top of the ramp, looking sheepish. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Jace. Your sister seems to think I don't know how to land my own ship."

"I heard that!" Jaina's voice was muffled from the cockpit.

Zekk cringed visibly, making Jacen chuckle. "Some things never change."

Zekk focused on Jacen and Tenel Ka for a moment before he blinked and did a double take. "I knew you were married I didn't realize you already had an heir in the works."

"It's what married people do, silly." Tahiri's voice echoed from somewhere under the _Lightning Rod_. "Gotcha!"

Anakin yelped as Tahiri tackled him, sending them both rolling out from under the ramp and into plain sight. She pinned him, her bare feet an amusing contrast to Anakin's boots, as she grinned down at him. "You really shouldn't run from me, Anakin. I always win."

"I always let you win."

"And I," Kyp interjected, "always pull you two apart. Can't you act like guests for two minutes?"

Tahiri looked up sheepishly. "But they're family."

Kyp's tone became stern. "Family or not, you're still their guests."

Both flushed and Tahiri let Anakin up, helping him dust off his clothing. "Sorry." She mumbled the words, shooting a dark look at Anakin.

Anakin, in turn, helped brush her off, but didn't lose his grin. "Sorry about that, Jacen. Tahiri's a bit of a spitfire."

"So we see." Jacen looked at the hatch to the _Lightning Rod_. "No one else? No Lando and Tendra? How about Jagged Fel and family? Maybe Lowie and Raaba?"

"Ha ha, funny man." Jaina finally appeared, her expression sour. "This is a family affair."

Jacen looked at Kyp, Zekk and Tahiri. "I know Zekk was invited, but why the rest of you?"

Jaina's stride was almost angry as she stepped purposefully down the ramp and approached her brother. "Because they're considered family. What, did impending fatherhood make you go soft in the head?"

Jacen's eyes hardened. "I'll take that from Tenel Ka, Jaina, but I won't take it from you. If you're going to be confrontational, you can stay on the _Lightning Rod_."

She stopped mid-step, taken aback and then burst out laughing. "Sorry, Jacen. I guess I'm pretty miserable huh?" She crossed the rest of the distance to them and enveloped Tenel Ka in a hug. "Congratulations to both of you - this is so exciting, I'm going to be an Aunt!"

Tenel Ka awkwardly hugged her back. "Thank you."

Jaina pulled away. "So do we have a name for my niece or nephew yet?"

"Nieces and nephew." Jacen dropped the bombshell casually, watching everyone do a double take.

"Three?" Kyp blanched. "As in, three new Solos?"

Jacen nodded.

"Force preserve us." Kyp cast a look back at the _Lightning Rod_, obviously contemplating jumping back on the ship and staying there. "I guess I was right, motherhood must suit you to be bringing three new Solos into the world. Once again congratulations."

Jacen chuckled, noting how Kyp was the first to react to the news, everyone else staring slack jawed. Gidden chose at that moment to appear, and let out a shriek, breaking into an excited run. "Anakin, Tahiri!"

Anakin's head turned and he frowned. "Jacen, who is that?"

Jacen chuckled. "Gidden!"

Gidden skidded to a halt. "Sorry, dad." He flushed, resuming his regular, more disciplined walk, though his body fairly vibrated with excitement. He stopped next to Tenel Ka and Jacen, looking at the visitors eagerly.

_Dad?_ Jaina mouthed, surprised, looking for similarities between Gidden and her brother. She didn't find any besides the stance, which could be taught. Gidden looked nothing like a Solo, though he'd certainly adopted some of Jacen and Tenel Ka's mannerisms.

Jacen placed a hand on Gidden's shoulder. "Anakin, everyone, this is Gidden. Tenel Ka and I have adopted him. Gidden, this-" He motioned to his dark haired friend, "is Zekk. I believe you know most everyone here except him."

Gidden's smile almost took in his ears as he nodded eagerly and sprouted off everyone's names. "That's Anakin, Tahiri, Kyp, and Jaina. Pleased to meet everyone."

"Likewise, I'm sure." Kyp was regarding the boy curiously, as were Jaina, Zekk and Anakin.

Tahiri's gaze had wandered, having lost interest before long, and she was idly massaging the ground with her toes. "While this is all fascinating, it's been a long trip. I don't suppose we could impose upon your hospitality for a night before fading into the background?"

"You are here to help Mara." It wasn't a question. Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow at Kyp. "Did she request your presence?"

"No." Zekk stepped forward, intervening. "I did. I had a feeling you could use a little help."

Tenel Ka inclined her head, not one to turn away valuable help when it was offered. "Master Skywalker can certainly use such experienced Jedi for her investigation. Come." She turned on her heel and led the way off the landing pad.

* * *

"-so we're trying to locate who or what is behind the attempts." Mara finished brining the younger Jedi up to speed on the progress of their investigation. "Thus far it's been slow going. A lot of paperwork to go through, very little in the database and road blocks at every turn."

"So a lot of needless bureaucracy." Jaina's comment was dry. "Joy."

Leia turned a stern look on her daughter. "This is no joking matter. Someone is trying to kill your brother and Gidden. Now, Luke told me he sent for Zekk so Zekk can help with Gidden."

Zekk, lounging in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, nodded. "That was the message I got. Though, Master Luke did suggest bringing Kyp and Anakin. I couldn't very well bring them without including Jaina and Tahiri."

Mara shook her head, chuckling softly. "Ah, the rationale of youth. I'm glad you brought them. Luke's in the nursery with Ben and Gidden so now might be the time for you to disappear." She pointed down the hallway. "You can't miss it."

Zekk took his cue and departed, leaving his friends behind with Mara and Leia, and strode quickly down the hallway. He slowed as he heard Gidden's voice, grinning as he understood that Gidden was teaching someone. Probably Ben. Zekk peeked in and found Master Skywalker sitting cross legged with both boys, just off to the side, Gidden showing Ben flash cards.

Ben, to Zekk's astonishment was pointing at them excitedly and identifying them with words and gestures.

Luke caught his gaze and nodded for him to come in. "Alright, Gidden, I think that's enough for one day."

"No!" Ben cried as Gidden made to comply. "More!"

Gidden looked torn, but a stern look from Luke and he patted Ben's head. "Sorry, Ben. I'll come back tomorrow for more play time."

"No!" Ben almost shouted the word. "Play now!"

"Ben." Luke's tone was stern.

Ben's face collapsed into a frown, his lower lip trembling. Gidden swallowed hard. "That's bad, Ben. Listen to your dad, ok?"

Ben pouted, crossing his chubby arms over his chest and nodded miserably.

Luke scooped an unresponsive Ben into his arms, placing the toddler in his crib. "Nap time, you. Gidden will play with you tomorrow."

"P'omise?"

"I promise." Gidden told the other child with a grin.

Satisfied, Ben rolled over and grabbed his stuffed Wampa, hugging it tightly as his father tucked him in.

Gidden turned to leave, taking a step back when he spied Zekk in the doorway. "You're Zekk, right?"

Zekk nodded. "That's right." He stepped out of the room so Luke and Gidden could leave and close the door, letting Ben nap. He fell into step with them as they headed for the main area. "Master Luke tells me you've had a rough time of it."

Gidden shrugged. "Mom says a lot of other boys went through the same things."

"Is that so?" Zekk cast a glance at Luke, wondering exactly what he was expected to help with when Gidden didn't really want his help. "I hear you were quite the scrounger before they brought you to the palace."

"Nah. I just did what I had to so I'd live."

"Me too." Zekk matched his stride to the boy's. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to show me around would you? Jacen and Tenel Ka are a little busy and the other Jedi are going to help track down the people who're trying to kill you."

Gidden looked at the tall Jedi critically. "As long as you don't mind Tanner. She's my bodyguard."

"Then where- Oh, hello."

Tanner was waiting for them just outside the Skywalker's rooms, standing inconspicuously against one wall. She smiled at Gidden, and nodded to Zekk. "Jedi."

"Zekk." He corrected automatically. "I'm here to help out."

She said nothing, but Gidden grabbed her hand, pulling her off the wall before letting go. "Come on Tanner. We're going to show Zekk around since mom and dad are busy."

Tanner didn't look like she relished the idea, but she complied. She fell into step behind them, keeping her eyes open as Gidden, accepting Zekk's presence far easier than he did any woman's, began pointing out the different areas of the palace as they walked.

Zekk listened avidly, absorbing it all and picking the boy's brain for little details, as he was very curious about one of his best friend's new homes. As they walked, Gidden pointed out the numerous access ways and balconies. He was also prone to talk about his experiences underground, comparing them to his new surroundings. As they walked, Zekk got an idea of why his presence had been requested.

Something at the back of Zekk's mind began to tingle uncomfortably and the hair on the back of his neck rose, an indication that something wasn't right. He's survived on his instincts too long to ignore them. "Seems like a real _dangerous_ set up," he pointedly looked at Tanner, nodding his head imperceptibly towards the balconies.

Her eyes flickered but she gave no other outward sign of understanding - except to step closer to Gidden.

Gidden chattered on oblivious as he turned to look at Zekk with a grin. "Dad says I talk to much which is why someone wants to kill me, but I know he's kidding."

Zekk chuckled, his hand resting easily on his belt next to his lightsaber. He could almost feel the eyes of the assassin as they passed over him. His senses flared in the same moment Tanner lunged for Gidden, knocking him to the ground. Zekk's lightsaber flashed down and outward in an arc that was blindingly fast, barely missing the bodyguard, and knocking the two consecutive blaster bolts aside. He couldn't bring his lightsaber around enough to block the third, instead reached out with his hand and took the hit on the forearm, hissing as he wasn't able to completely absorb the powerful bolt.

Tanner was already on her comm, calling for backup, and blue stun bolts could be seen flashing out from the corners towards the balcony.

Zekk grabbed Tanner from the floor, forcing her to her feet, as he scooped Gidden up in the other, ignoring the pain racing down his arm. Gidden was thrown onto his back, where the boy latched onto his neck. Tanner had already turned, bodily protecting the young Prince her blaster in hand.

Zekk darted away, into a nearby alcove, dropping Gidden to the floor as he scanned the area for more threats.

It was over in seconds, the sound of blasters clattering to the ground audible in the sudden silence. Tanner reappeared in front of them, going down on one knee to examine Gidden.

Gidden grinned. "Wow, that was wizard!"

"Danger is not fun, Gidden." Tanner admonished him sternly. "Are you harmed?"

He shook his head, pointing to Zekk's seared arm. "Nope. But Jedi Zekk might need a hand."

Tanner's eyes widened as she saw the damage to Zekk's arm; she hadn't seen him intercept the shot that had almost connected with the back of her head.

Zekk shut down his blade and hooked it back on his belt. "It's nothing a week under a bacta patch won't cure. Trust me - I've had worse." He looked towards the balconies where the shots had come from and smiled grimly. "Looks like they'll be hostages to question. Not our job though."

Gidden looked from Tanner to Zekk and back. "Can we go swimming?"

Tanner blinked and then laughed. "How about you take Zekk on a tour of the medical bay. Then we can go swimming."

"Wizard!" Gidden grabbed Zekk's uninjured hand and pulled him along. "Come on, Zekk; the sooner they fix your arm, the sooner I can show you my pool!"


	17. Chapter 17

"Yes, Jana?"

Jana chuckled softly at the weary answer to her call. "I'm sorry to disturb you, sire, but we have some hostages that you may wish to question."

Jacen came instantly awake. "Hostages?"

Jana nodded. "They attacked the prince today while he was with your friend Zekk. They're both alright, though Zekk will be wearing a bacta patch on his arm for a while."

Jacen rubbed his eyes, yawning. He'd been attempting to grab a nap. He caught a glimpse of the chrono and blinked. He'd been out for almost four hours. "Where are the assassins now?"

"They're in private cells in the dungeon."

"I'll let Tenel Ka know. Thanks Jana, I'll be down to question them shortly."

The link cut off and Jacen rubbed his face wearily. He was tired, but elation was quickly pushing it away. They'd finally caught someone that would be able to give them information. He pushed off the couch, tossing aside the blanket, and headed for the bed chamber.

Tenel Ka was sleeping when he poked his head in, her face resting in slumber, her hand curled protectively around her swollen belly. He came to sit quietly on the edge of the bed, gently brushing a strand of her hair off her face, and smile tenderly at her. He woke her with a soft kiss.

"Jacen?"

"You were expecting someone else, love?"

She smiled at his tease, her eyes glazed, still half-asleep. It was a side effect of her pregnancy; one that he was sure wouldn't last. "Mmm... no."

He chuckled softly, stroking his fingers down her cheek. When she was still sleepy, she was far more pleasant than when she was awake. Thankfully, they only had a few more weeks to go before the triplets arrived. "I'll be back shortly. They've caught some would-be assassins."

Her eyes were starting to clear, her mind focusing on his words.

He gently kissed her again. "I'll fill you in when I get back. Sleep well, sweetheart."

He didn't wait to see what her reaction would be, he simply departed the room and headed for the dungeon. It was time to get those long-awaited answers.

* * *

Jacen threw the door open with barely contained ire. "Scruffy!"

The guard that looked up from the desk wasn't Scruffy.

"Where's Scruffy?"

The guard paled. "I'm not sure, sire. She was here this morning before the prisoners were taken."

"Where did she go?"

"I-I d-don't know, sire." The guard stammered under the weight of his gaze. "Sh-she doesn't tell me where she goes."

Jacen stormed out of the room, his mind replaying the scene in the dungeon. He'd arrived not twenty minutes after Jana's call and found the prisoners had either killed themselves or been drugged with copious amounts of poison. Neither of them would be in any shape to talk to anyone ever again. He'd found a note scratched onto a piece of paper one of them must have had on their persons that said, "Those closest to home are the worst threats."

He couldn't ignore it.

He stormed into the office Jana normally occupied and stopped. There were signs of hurried departure. "Jana!"

He received no answer. He prowled through her office, finding no signs of her anywhere. He entered the adjoining suite with barely a knock and found it in disarray. Clothing had been tossed haphazardly on the floor and hung partially out of the closet and dresser.

"Jana?"

There was no answer and now he wasn't expecting one. He searched the room thoroughly for some sign as to where Jana had gone and didn't find one. He ransacked her dresser, her closet, her desk, even going so far as to check her correspondence.

Nothing. No sign, no clue, no hint as to where she'd gone or why. He smiled grimly, turning his back on her quarters and heading for his own. He had several dead bodies in his dungeon that were clue enough as to where both Scruffy and Jana had gone.

"Sire!"

He paused as a guard he didn't recognize hailed him. "Yeah?"

The guard saluted, extending a data rod. "This arrived for you and the Queen Mother while you were in the dungeon."

"Thank you." He accepted the rod and continued on, the guard moving back to resume her post. He turned the rod around in his fingers as he walked. A missive that arrived while he was with the prisoners, the top two security personnel missing from duty. He added it up in his mind and concluded the only logical assumption.

Scruffy and Jana had both been in on the plot. They'd killed the prisoners and fled before they could be implicated. The question now was where. Where had they gone? He entered the suite he shared with Tenel Ka and scooped a datapad off the table, sliding the rod into the reader. He scanned the message, his eyes widening in surprised horror.

"Gidden." He looked up, dashing for the door, and hauling it open, the datapad having dropped to the table top with a clatter. "Gidden!" His voice echoed down the hall, towards the boy's room. His feet fairly flew as he darted for the door leading into Gidden's room. The state of disarray in which he found it had his heart sinking. There wasn't any sign of a struggle, but Tanner and Gidden were both missing. He checked their favorite hideouts one at a time, each time coming up empty handed. He had the guards attempt to reach Tanner on the link up, only to be told she was out of range.

They couldn't recall having seen either the Prince or his bodyguard in the last several hours.

Jacen reached out with the Force, searching for signatures, stretching his mind to the furthest corners of the palace only to have his worst fears confirmed.

Gidden was gone.

* * *

"What is this?"

Jacen's eyes were haunted as they lifted to meet Tenel Ka's. "Exactly what it looks like. A ransom note."

Tenel Ka's gaze dropped back to the datapad. "This is genuine?"

"I have no reason not to believe it. Gidden isn't anywhere in the palace."

"Jana!"

Jacen's smile grew grim. "Neither is Jana or Scruffy, Tenel Ka."

She frowned, her brow knotting as she caught his meaning. "No. Jana would not..."

"Are you so certain? She's been acting strange lately."

"No, Jana would never..." Her gaze went back to the datapad as the words on her lips died. "She would not... Would she?"

"I don't know anymore, sweetheart." Jacen rubbed a hand over his face. "What do we do with that?" He waved his hand at the datapad.

Tenel Ka placed it carefully on the table. She met his gaze. "I do not know. Giving in to their demands would place Gidden at further risk, as well as our unborn children. Non compliance means we could lose Gidden forever." She paused, turning the implications over in her mind, her hand stroking her bulging belly. "For now we do nothing. There is the implication of a public demonstration. We announce that the Prince has been kidnapped, and we are negotiating his release. That should bring another notice."

"Do we tell the people of Hapes their terms?"

She shook her head once. "No. I will not have them pressuring you to step down as King and be reinstituted as consort. You are my husband; that is how you will remain."

He reached over to grasp her hand, placing a gentle kiss on her fingers as he squeezed them. "It's just a title. If that's what it takes to get Gidden back..."

"No." Her tone was firm. "By acquiescing to their demands, it means Gidden would be ineligible as our heir. They are asking for a return to my gran... to Ta'a Chume's style of monarchy. I do not agree, nor condone this. No. We will not yield."

"And Gidden?"

"He must still be on Hapes." Her gaze was steady, confident. "You and I would have felt his alarm if he were taken off planet."

"Unless he's unconscious."

"Fact."

Jacen pushed back to his feet. "I'll get the other Jedi to help me search."

"I will draft our announcement." She pulled the rod from the datapad and placed it on the table. "Find him, Jacen."

He knew by those simple words she was aching to get up and chase after whomever it was that dared to take the boy. He knew she wanted to, but couldn't. And he knew it pained her to admit she wasn't able to. "I promise you, Tenel Ka, that if's he's on the planet we'll find him."

He strode from the room, headed for the rooms that had been assigned to his friends. He needed their help, and he knew just the one to help him find a missing person.

* * *

"Gidden's missing? Are you sure about that, Jace? I mean, Tanner wouldn't let anything happen to him."

Jacen nodded grimly. "I'm sure. He's not in the palace and neither is Tanner. I've checked every place they go, and I can't feel either of them with the Force. I need your help."

"I barely met the kid, I don't see what help I can be."

Jacen stared at his friend and then burst out laughing. "This from the scavenger who could find anything?"

"Point taken." Zekk's tone was dry. "I just don't understand why you think Jana took him. Quite frankly, she risked enough to get you and Tenel Ka together, why would she steal Gidden now? It doesn't make sense."

"Regardless of her motive, I have to take the evidence as I see it, Zekk. Jana's missing with signs of hasty departure. Tanner's missing, Gidden's missing, Scruffy's missing and _no one_ knows where they went! Of course I'm going to think the worst!"

"And if they did it to keep him safe?"

Jacen's expression was grim. "I'll thank them profusely - after I tan their hides for scaring me out of my wits."

Zekk rubbed the bandage on his arm thoughtfully. "Well then, shouldn't you be asking around to find out who last saw them?"

Jacen grimaced. "The guards know better than to talk to me. I'm too high profile. Dad's been getting nowhere, and he's better acquainted with the core of bodyguards than I am. I think he just enjoys being around so many beautiful women with mom's permission." Jacen's eyes sparkled with dark humor. "Seriously, if I thought asking around would get me anywhere, I would do it in a heartbeat. Being King just means no one knows how to treat me so I get ignored more often than not."

"Not all it's cracked up to be." Zekk chuckled, despite the circumstances. "I'll see what I can find out. And seeing as how I'm _not_ your dad - and I'm single..." he let the sentence trail off suggestively.

Jacen stuck his tongue out childishly at his old friend. "Well nyah. I'm happily married; I think my wife's condition is proof of that."

Zekk slapped Jacen on the shoulder before scooping a hair band from a nearby pile and neatly tying his hair at the nape of his neck in one smooth, practiced motion. "I never said you weren't. I'll let you know if and when I dig anything up."

"Thanks Zekk, I appreciate it."

Zekk shrugged, stepping past Jacen and into the hallway. "I came to help; I just never thought it'd be in seducing the whole of the royal guard!"

Jacen rolled his eyes as Zekk walked away. He knew Zekk was mostly kidding; his standards were just too high for that, but it was an amusing distraction from his worries. He appreciated Zekk's attempt to get him to laugh; now just wasn't the time.

He mentally checked one task off his list and headed off to complete another. The results from the autopsies of the bodies in the dungeon should be back by now. Perhaps, if nothing else, the dead would yield clues the living refused to give up.

* * *

"Sand, sire." The tech looked disgusted. "Every day, run of the mill, Hapan beach sand. Found in a million different locations on the planet."

"That's it, that's all you can tell me for the time you've had?"

"Two hours is a little tight, your highness." The tech shook her head, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Other than that, they each have tattoos indicating they were washed out of Bodyguard training for the Palace, each has the same haircut and, lastly, each is a commoner. There's not a spot of royal or high born blood among them. They're impossible to trace without submitting every single person on the planet to a blood test."

"And that won't tell me who hired them." Jacen's tone was disgusted. "You're sure there's nothing else?"

The tech shrugged. "Just the contents of their stomachs. Seeds mixed with a paste of some sort. We're still analyzing the content."

"Let me know as soon as you have something. Tenel Ka will want me to inform her immediately."

"This stress isn't jeopardizing the Queen Mother's pregnancy, is it?"

"Why would it?" Jacen managed a semi-jovial smile. "She's a tough lady; I wouldn't worry too much about her."

"Very good, sire." The tech turned back to the analysis equipment to run another series of tests, effectively dismissing him.

Jacen didn't comment, simply strode from the lab and headed for the medical bay. He hadn't thought about the stress levels possibly affecting Tenel Ka and their children. His pace was quick as he stepped into the nearby medical suite. "Doctor."

The woman who'd been examining Tenel Ka looked up a smile blossoming on her face. "Sire! Good to see you sir, what can I do for you?"

"A moment of your time?"

"Of course." She waved him towards her private office, closing the door behind them as he proceeded to pace the length of it. "I see this is not a social call."

"Doctor, what affects could high stress levels have on a developing child?"

"I trust you're speaking of the Queen Mother's pregnancy?"

He nodded, his face drawn.

The Doctor sat on the edge of her desk, considering the question. "When her mother was Queen Mother and pregnant, it was often said that her high levels of activity and stress encouraged the baby - Tenel Ka - to be as she is now. Tenel Ka deals with stress fairly effectively, sire; I wouldn't worry about the babies."

"Don't you mean dealt, Doctor?" He rounded on her. "Your orders are keeping her confined to quarters and to our bed. She has no outlet, no source to expel that stress. None but me."

"I'm simply trying to ensure she carries to term, your highness." The Doctor informed him stiffly. "Multiple births and pregnancies are not easy on the mother."

"Is it necessary she carry to term?"

The Doctor hesitated before shaking her head reluctantly. "No, but ideally we don't like to deliver the babies before the eighth month. It's dangerous before then."

"So she's only got two more weeks until that time limit."

The Doctor nodded. "In theory. We did overestimate her date of conception; it's possible she could deliver tomorrow and have healthy children."

"Clear her for activity, Doctor." Jacen rounded on her, but not angrily, the plea evident in his eyes. "Rescind your orders, give her the freedom to move about and prepare."

"And let you sleep at night?"

He nodded.

She sighed. "Alright, sire." She picked up a datapad and pulled an empty datarod from the pile on her desk. She quickly typed up instructions. "Reduced activity only. As much rest as possible, and she's not to push herself, do I make myself clear?"

"As crystal. Thank you Doctor."

The Doctor waved it away and exited her office after giving him the rod. Jacen wasted no time in taking the Doctor's revised orders back to Tenel Ka. She would be ecstatic.

* * *

"You threatened my Doctor?"

"I didn't have to." He smiled, seeing her eyebrow arch in disbelief. "I asked nicely since you don't have an outlet for your stresses right now. She said that since they overestimated your date of conception, the likelihood of causing harm to the babies are slim."

She lifted her gaze from the datapad. "Why?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't want to sit idle while I run around searching for Gidden." He settled onto the couch next to her, reaching over to rub one hand across her swollen belly.

She placed the note on the table and covered his hand with hers, squeezing his fingers. "Fact. Have you seen the holo-news?"

"I've been too busy putting things in motion. What's happened?"

She made a rare face, grimacing. "Someone let a holocam down into the holding cells and snuck it into Ta'a Chume's cell. She has withered away, dying in obscurity and pain. The same group who wrote Gidden's ransom note is claiming responsibility and ensuring the Cluster knows of Ta'a Chume's demise. They are also twisting the facts to fit their motives. My holding cells are being labeled as_inhumane_."

"I take it you've already started the damage control?"

"Before the transmissions begun I had received word Ta'a Chume had died. I drafted and released a statement minutes before that garbage began playing." Her lips flattened into a thin line. "This cannot continue."

"We'll find them, Tenel Ka. I promise."

"Together, Jacen." She squeezed his fingers again before pushing herself heavily to her feet. "Come. We should check Jana's records. I have never known her to be sloppy, but there is a first time for everything."

* * *

The investigation wore on for several days with reporters flocking to the gates of the Fountain Palace demanding information about the former Queen Mother and her subsequent death. Jacen took advantage of his mother's presence and filled her in on all the relevant details and then begged her to do damage control so they could find Gidden.

Having been completely charmed by her adopted grandson, Leia had been unable to refuse Jacen's heart-felt plea.

And so, it left Jacen free to help search for clues in Scruffy and Jana's files.

The days passed slowly as Leia released the real story of Ta'a Chume's demise, backed up with recordings and even the footage of Tenel Ka's only visit to her several months past. That footage, along with the sound recordings, did much to kill the gossip and rumor, showing the compassion their monarchs had shown the dying woman; a woman who had actively sought death by choosing her fate and making her conditions inhumane.

The flurry refused to die down though as the theorists and left wing opinions created more speculation. How did they know the recording was genuine? How did they know that it had actually happened? Regardless of the time and date stamp, there were programs and hackers available to the Royal Household that would have allowed them to create an elaborate fabrication.

Tenel Ka, finally fed up with the accusations, allowed two outside physicians to sit in and participate on the autopsy of Ta'a Chume's corpse in the hopes it would put the rumors to rest.

Unfortunately her plan backfired and the physicians reported the plain facts. The woman had starved to death. Voluntarily or not was regardless. She should have been more closely monitored and prevented from dying through forced nutrition.

It created a flurry of activity, kicking off a new round of accusations, to which Leia stepped in and fielded. She shielded her son and his wife as much as she could to prevent the stresses from sending Tenel Ka into premature labor.

Jacen decided his mother simply didn't need to know exactly how much and how well, Tenel Ka was doing now that she was an active part of the search. His wife had taken over the questioning of the older guards, those adept in hiding their thoughts and feelings from their monarch, and invoked the clauses that allowed her to scan their memories. She took her time, searching for anything for even the smallest of clues might be what they needed to bring Gidden home.

Jacen, on the other hand, searched for physical clues. He tore apart Gidden's room, going over it with a fine toothed comb to ensure he hadn't missed anything. And then he did the same to Jana's and even Scruffy's small cubicle. He found nothing. No hints, no indicator, no nothing.

Zekk reported back to him daily, letting him know that through his own investigation, one that had taken him from swimming contests to the training salles, to the firing range, he'd been able to garner little.

"I think we're on the wrong path here, Jace. Every single guard I've spoken with has been shocked at the possibility of Jana or Scruffy turning on their Queen. They don't like the implication, and they certainly are quick to come to their defense." Zekk took a sip of the brandy Jacen had supplied him with, staring out across the rolling waves beyond the windows of the library.

They'd decided Zekk's reports should be given to Jacen privately, away from Tenel Ka, to avoid possible misunderstandings. Tenel Ka's determination to find Gidden was about the only constant in between her frequent naps.

"Then why can't any of us find them?"

Zekk shrugged, turning away from the window. "I'm not entirely certain and none of the guards I've talked to can give me an answer either. They don't even try, surprisingly enough. I've just gotten this blank look and usually the words 'They must have a good reason'. That's it. Not very useful, I'm afraid."

"And they've given you no indications at all as to where they might be?"

"Only one." Zekk hoped he wasn't setting his friend up for heartbreak. "Apparently the Honeymoon guard detail - I'm assuming someone's on a honeymoon?"

"Vola and Flynn," Jacen smiled. "More friends of ours; ones you might like actually."

"Ah." Zekk took another sip before placing the glass on a nearby table. "Well, their guard detail has been put on high alert. In the last couple of weeks they've been receiving threats and other indications that they might be targets. One of the guards I spoke to this morning mentioned Scruffy had been complaining about the ineptitude of the officer in charge on the island and muttering about taking over the detail personally." Zekk pinned his friend with a look. "Make any sense to you?"

Jacen nodded slowly, turning the comments over in his mind, determined to think of them rationally. "Why, if they've been receiving threats for so long, wouldn't they let us know?"

"I asked that myself."

"Oh?"

Zekk nodded. "It seemed a logical question at the time. I got a question in return. Why would the heads of Security inform you and Tenel Ka about possible threats when you have enough actual threats to deal with. Their function isn't apparently to add to your worries; they take care of matters as they see fit."

"Basically we're not privy to all of their going-ons?"

"Something like that."

"Wonderful."

"Look on the bright side," Zekk told him grinning. "If this is as harmless as it looks, Gidden couldn't ask for better protectors than the very people who train all of your body guards."

"And if this isn't as harmless as it looks, they could have already gotten him and dumped his body in the ocean where we'll never find it." Jacen sighed. "Thanks, Zekk. I'll let Tenel Ka know what you found and we'll figure out where we go from here."

"Let me know if there's anything more I can do."

"I will, thanks."


	18. Chapter 18

"I am going." Tenel Ka's statement was flat, un-negotiable.

"I never said you weren't, sweetheart." Jacen smiled faintly. "I just said that maybe we should bring more than just us. Jana and Scruffy are both highly trained and the last thing I want is to risk you and the children."

"Bring Zekk, Kyp and Anakin."

"And Tahiri and Jaina?"

"They can help your mother." Tenel Ka's lips twitched. "Women are still more respected for their opinions than men. It will take many generations before that stigma is completely eradicated. I will be leaving your mother as my personal representative. I recommend leaving either Master Skywalker, or your Father, as yours. With the help of Jaina, Tahiri and Master Jade-Skywalker they will not find it difficult. It will also enable us to take our time to search for Gidden."

"You don't think a couple of Masters would come in handy here?"

"We will be taking Master Durron. With the five of us backing him, another Master will not make the difference one way or another."

Jacen settled onto the sofa next to her, rubbing a hand over his face. "I hope he's alright."

"Gidden is a strong child, Jacen." Tenel Ka placed her hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently. "And Tanner's affections and dedication to him are not feigned. I am certain he will be fine."

He covered her hand with his, patting the back of it before managing a weak smile. "I wish I was as confident as you, love. Gidden's changed a lot since we brought him here. I'd hate to see a kidnapping attempt gone wrong ruin all of the effort and work he's done to change himself."

"As would I." Tenel Ka removed her hand as she pushed herself heavily to her feet. "We must leave quickly, Jacen, if we wish to catch them by surprise."

"Where are you going?"

"To the 'fresher." She arched an eyebrow at him, her eyes twinkling with dark humor. "I suggest you speak with Zekk, Anakin and Kyp if we wish to depart this evening."

"So soon?"

She nodded once. "If treachery is their plot, we must stop it now. The slander against our family must be brought to a halt. I have my father searching for the source of the footage from the prison. I have his division searching for the extremists. Once Jana and Scruffy have explained themselves we should have all of our answers."

"I sure hope so." Jacen watched her walk away, disappearing into the 'fresher, and pushed himself wearily to his feet. The last weeks had been draining, and he knew he wouldn't feel the familiar rush of adrenaline until they arrived at the Island Fortress. Until then he would set their bare-bones plan into motion, collect all the players, and hope that they'd find Gidden safe and sound.

* * *

The plan to rescue Gidden was a simple one. The wave speeder sped across the almost flat calm of the Hapan Ocean, racing towards the Island Fortress, completely undetectable due to the material it was made of. The boat was designed for quick trips into hostile territory - or getaways from those territories.

Inside the small craft, Jacen, Tenel Ka, Kyp, Anakin and Zekk spoke little. The night was dark and they'd already discussed their plans, each preparing for the task ahead in their own way.

Jacen was in meditation, calming and centering himself, focusing on the task, not what might have to be done.

Tenel Ka idly stroked the hilt of her rancor-toothed lightsaber blade, her gaze on Jacen's almost serene expression. She was in a different kind of preparation, mentally focusing herself, drawing on reserves, bringing them into the forefront so she would not be a burden to her fellow Jedi. She refused to be left behind; Gidden was as much her son as Jacen's and she intended to ensure no harm came to him.

Zekk stared silently out one of two portholes, silent, relaxed, his body moving easily with the motion of the craft. His eyes were open, clear, scanning the waters around them for motion. Scanning for threats, or indications they'd been detected. He didn't move from his sentry post as the craft sped onwards, his two toned emerald eyes scanning the visible horizons carefully.

Anakin mimicked his brother, his eyes closed, his hands still with his palms upward on his knees, his breathing deep and even as he focused himself for the mission to come. He barely moved, didn't twitch, so deep was his in meditation.

Kyp, unable to pace, settled for cleaning the hilt of his lightsaber, taking it apart piece by piece, cleaning each one with the edge of his cape; meticulously expending the energy that was looking for an outlet, any outlet, as the boat trip dragged on.

Each of them knew that the following dawn would likely not be easy; they'd land just before sun rise to search for Gidden's location. There were likely to be bodyguards on the island beyond Scruffy and Jana, ones that were under orders not to let Gidden leave. Or so they surmised.

It was the only explanation for as to why Scruffy and Jana would have disappeared the same day as Gidden. Gidden was not on the mainland, and the story had broken just hours before their departure, the radical group claiming responsibility and once again, this time publicly, sounding their terms.

Tenel Ka and Jacen hadn't had time to judge the will of their people; they had to act to retrieve Gidden before something terrible happened to him.

The hours were long inside the boat, their bare necessities being met by dry rations, water bottles and a small, self-enclosed portable 'fresher in the very back of the boat. No one complained. The seriousness of their mission subduing them and bringing with it an almost surreal air.

Tenel Ka kept expecting to open her eyes after blinking to find it was a bad dream. Gidden was safe, tucked into his bed, Tanner sleeping on the pallet at the foot of his bed. Jana would be there with the morning report, a smile on her familiar, trustworthy face and Scruffy would be drilling the new recruits mercilessly to weed out the weak and unstable.

Yet she knew it was no dream. Sweat trickled down between her shoulder blades as she practiced her breathing exercises, the ache in her lower back a constant companion. Her feet were swollen, despite how much time she spent off them, and she had aches in muscles she hadn't felt sore in for years.

"He'll be alright."

Tenel Ka met Zekk's gaze. "I hope you are right, friend Zekk."

Zekk settled back on the seat beside her, checking each of their companions before turning his gaze back to hers. "Call me crazy, but I have a good feeling about this mission. Usually when things go wrong, or are going to go wrong, we at least get some hint." He nodded to the Solo brothers. "They tend to mimic their father's intuition."

"We would not have mounted this expedition without your information, Zekk." Her eyes were solemnly grateful as she inclined her head to him. "I do not think I have yet said thank you for your help."

He waved it away. "Gidden's a cute kid; reminds me of me when I was little. Last thing I'd want to see is any child, especially one close to you and Jacen, get hurt."

"Thank you."

He shrugged. "Anytime. Jacen said something in his message about wanting me to sit and talk to Gidden about the Force visions he's had."

"Should we not rescue him first and then speak of his visions?"

Zekk checked his chrono. "We've still an hour or two until we make landfall. And it's better to plan for success than failure."

"Fact." She looked beyond their soft discussion to where Kyp had stopped cleaning his lightsaber and was now leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed, his hands folded across his stomach. She swore she heard a soft snore and nodded to the Jedi Master. "I wish I could be so relaxed."

Zekk chuckled, checking the surrounding waters again. "You've never been that relaxed, Tenel Ka. Kyp's just used to this; he's been paired with Jaina for missions again. I think he's used to a little tension before a mission."

"Jaina." She slanted a look at him. "You do not sound disappointed she was not assigned to you."

"Should I be?" Zekk smiled faintly. "Jaina and I were kids, Tenel Ka. The war changed us all, especially her. She's no longer the Jaina I grew up with and we've grown apart. Call me crazy, but I actually enjoy being entanglement free. It's very... liberating."

"Ah. Ah ha." She nodded once. "The differences between you are too many to reconcile. I understand."

Zekk chuckled softly. "We've reconciled, Tenel Ka, don't get me wrong, but I find I've out grown Jaina. Kyp's a better match for her than I'll ever be."

"It is good to see you have learned acceptance, friend Zekk."

"Everyone has to grow up sometime." Zekk looked back out the port holes. "You should try and get some sleep. You're not just looking after the kid we're going to search for, you know."

"It is hard to forget."

He grinned at her. "It can't be much longer now, Tenel Ka. Jacen must be thrilled about the prospects of three kids."

"He is terrified." Her gaze went to where her husband was sitting, his posture relaxed, a peaceful expression on his face as he meditated. "But he hides it well."

"And how are you holding up?"

Her gray eyes were composed when they turned back to Zekk. "I will persevere."

"That's not what I asked."

"It is the only answer I have to give." Her tone effectively ended their conversation and Zekk slid away to be closer to the port hole. He resumed his sentry's watch as Tenel Ka shifted over, closer to Jacen, and placed her hand on his shoulder. He didn't stir from his meditation, but his reassuring presence soothed her. It was the best she could do when sleep wouldn't come, as worry for Gidden continued to eat at her heart.

Scruffy and Jana were going to have a lot of explaining to do regardless of Gidden's condition.

* * *

The false dawn saw the craft slowing its automated course, killing the engine, and the animation of the Jedi on board. Anakin and Jacen slid into the water soundlessly, pulling the craft up onto a lightly sloped beach. Kyp and Zekk dropped from the side as the craft was beached, each taking up a spread point position, looking for any signs of surveillance. Kyp nodded to the younger Jedi and they both disappeared into the darkness.

They were back in minutes, each carrying an unconscious Royal bodyguard on their shoulders. Tenel Ka dropped to the sand, landing heavily, as the two emerged. She said nothing as Anakin set about tying up the hostages. "Aunt Mara's taught me a thing or two." He flashed a grin and then continued his task.

Jacen disappeared only to return a moment later with a nod to Kyp and Zekk. "It looks like those are the only sentries for this cove. Vola and Flynn are on the far side of the island; Gidden's presence is closer, that way." He pointed off to the left.

Anakin finished his job and slapped his hands on his pants. "Shouldn't someone stay with the boat?"

"In case what? They try and steal it?" Kyp looked at the younger Solo pointedly. "In case you hadn't noticed, these are royal guards. They're not about to steal the Queen Mother's craft; if their problem is with anyone, it's with your brother."

"Fact." Tenel Ka stepped between the two of them. "But we should still leave someone with the hostages. Kyp."

"Me?" He looked surprised. "I thought you wanted my help!"

"This is helping." Tenel Ka met his gaze squarely. "I want you to pull anything incriminating from their minds while we search for Gidden. We four will enter a battle meld; you will touch it. Provide any information to use that you can through the link."

The Jedi Master looked at her grudgingly. "You want me to be tactical."

She nodded once.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do."

"Shouldn't you stay here and do that, Tenel Ka?" Anakin looked at her concerned. "You're not exactly in top fighting condition."

Jacen broke in before Tenel Ka's temper, as displayed by her flashing eyes, exhibited itself. "She's the perfect companion for this, Anakin. I think she might surprise you."

Anakin looked away uncomfortably. "Ok. Sure, whatever. She's your wife."

Jacen turned to Zekk. "Did you get any other information out of those guards back on the mainland?"

"This is about as far as I got. Two guards a cove, Gidden's somewhere on the island. Sorry, Jace. Kyp'll be more help once he's connected to them."

"No matter." Jacen took a deep breath and initialized the meld. There was no turning back now and Gidden would come home safely. He would see to it.

* * *

They moved through the lightly forested and heavily shadowed areas like wraiths, slipping from one shadow to another, moving with purpose and poise, in concert with one another. They moved forward cautiously, checking and double checking before making their next move. They'd encountered several guards, and one patrol, incapacitating them before they could sound the alarm, sometimes with only seconds to spare.

Zekk and Anakin took turns hauling the guards back towards the cove in the hopes that Kyp would be able to pull information from their minds. Thus far, as the sun threatened to peak over the horizon, he'd proven unsuccessful to their mental shields. Shields that had been surprisingly strong, despite their unconscious state.

Tenel Ka's expression remained neutral, but Jacen could see the tension in her frame. She was keeping pace with them far more easily than anticipated, drawing more heavily on the Force than Jacen had ever felt before. But she didn't tire, didn't slow and most of all, she pushed them harder. She was determined to reach Gidden before the sun woke his guards.

And her determination paid off. As the sun was just sliding over the horizon, they crouched low in a dune over looking what had to be the main encampment. Several boats were nearby for quick movement around the island, a large tent in the center of the clearing easily the headquarters. There were guards around the perimeter. Zekk, Jacen and Anakin worked as a team, telekinetically lifting their communication devices at the same moment another struck. The guards proved next to useless under the Jedi's tactics and Tenel Ka made a mental note to address the issue with Scruffy's successor.

It took almost ten minutes before the guards were rounded up, unconscious, and brought back to Tenel Ka's position. She nodded to each of them before standing, plain as day, and striding forward with determined steps towards the center tent. Jacen was half a step behind her, Anakin and Zekk taking up the rear guard position, though it seemed little would threaten them here.

Tenel Ka stopped outside the tent, and stretched out her hand. The ten's top wiggled and then moved with a violent jerk upwards and out, crumpling to the ground in a heap just behind the furthest individual's sleeping pallet. The occupants, four people, jerked awake, three dropping into a protective crouch around the fourth before their eyes had completely opened.

The tell-tale snap-hiss of a lightsaber igniting gave each of them pause.

"Your majesty?"

Jana's shocked tone was gratifying for Tenel Ka, but she nodded once, extending her lightsaber towards the group of four. "You were expecting someone else?"

"I was no-"

"Mamma!" Gidden's excited shriek cut off whatever Jana had been about to say as he launched from between Tanner and Scruffy. He darted for her, throwing his arms as far as he could about her waist and hugging her tightly.

Tenel Ka looked down at Gidden, shutting down her lightsaber and hooking it back to her belt. She knelt in front of him, pulling him into a tight one-armed embrace. "Are you unharmed?"

He squirmed. "You're hurting me, mamma."

She relinquished her hold, conscious of the fact Jacen had stepped between her and the body guards, his un-ignited weapon at the ready. "I apologize. Are you well?"

He gave her a puzzled look. "Yup! Tanner and Jana and Scruffy wouldn't let _anything_ happen to me."

"You are certain you are unharmed?"

He nodded. "Yup! Jana asked if I wanted to come on a vacation to help guard Flynn and Vola."

Jacen stiffened in front of her at Gidden's words. "Vacation?" Tenel Ka eyed Gidden carefully. "Here? Into danger?"

Gidden shrugged. "I can help! Tanner said so. I see things they don't, so I'm a big help!"

"I bet you are kiddo." Jacen reached back to ruffle his hair. "Why don't you tell your mother all about your adventure over there while we talk to Jana and Scruffy?"

Gidden suddenly seemed to notice the tension in the adults; and who it was directed at. "You're not going to hurt Tanner, are you?"

"No, son. We just want to talk to them."

"Mamma?"

"He is right, Gidden. Come." She cast a dark look towards where Jana, Scruffy and Tanner were waiting, standing at attention. "Your father will speak with Jana and the guards."

"Oh." Gidden was reluctantly led away, looking back over his shoulder towards where Jacen was standing in front of his guards. "Dad's not going to hurt them is he?"

"Not if they cooperate." Her tone was even, almost grim. "Come."

Gidden didn't have much choice as Tenel Ka tugged him off towards the edge of the Beach. Zekk went with them as the Solo brothers confronted the guards.

Jacen's arms were hanging loosely at his side, his lightsaber still attached to his belt, but ready to grab it if they proved difficult. Anakin crossed his arms over his chest, and examined the guards curiously. He hadn't had the chance to meet them and had only seen Tanner in passing. They were well muscled, lithe figures that held themselves with pride. He was impressed despite himself by their courage.

"Sire, is something wrong?" Jana finally spoke, looking with confusion was where Tenel Ka was leading Gidden away and back to Jacen. "Have-"

"Silence."

Jana snapped her mouth closed. Jacen hadn't snapped the command; he'd simply said it pleasantly, almost conversationally, but she's obeyed instantly. Sometime in his tone of voice warned her not to push.

Jacen examined each of them silently, noting that they snapped to attention as one under his scrutiny. Scruffy's posture was rigid, tense, but only because of her stance. He couldn't detect any kind of guilt or duplicity in her gaze or body language. A careful examination of Tanner and Jana proved the same. Anakin shifted uncomfortably behind him as he made his examinations, digging one foot into the sand.

Jacen ignored his brother, finally speaking after long, tense moments. "I want answers and I want them quickly. Who sent the ransom note?"

Jana and Scruffy exchanged puzzled looks. "Ransom note, sire?" Scruffy's voice was scratchy, rough like normal, but he was certain she wasn't feigning her confusion. Despite her odd tone and speech impediment, her emotions were genuine. "What ransom note? And for whom?"

Jacen pulled the data pad from a pocket and tossed it to Scruffy. Scruffy's eyes widened in alarm as she looked sharply from the note back to him. Jana peeked, having the exact same reaction. Scruffy's fury was instantly obvious in the way her hand clenched about the datapad, and her color heightened.

Jana spoke before Scruffy could say something indelicate. "You don't think that we...?"

"What's it look like?"

Jana's spine straightened and there was no disguising her own silent outrage, though she hid it better than Scruffy. Tanner simply looked beyond them to Gidden, scanning the area around him and the Queen Mother as if nothing unusual were happening. She couldn't change whatever was happening, so she'd continued to do her job. Jacen waved to Anakin. "Take Tanner over there, would you? I'd like to speak with them alone."

Tanner moved willingly as Anakin brought her off to the side, still keeping her gaze on her charge. One that hadn't officially been revoked yet.

Jacen crossed his arms over his chest as Tanner was taken away, the fury inside him carefully leashed as he looked from Scruffy to Jana. "Explain a sequence of events to me. For starters how, when Gidden goes missing without word from either of you, we get a ransom note just hours later. When we go to find him, we also find that neither of you are capable of being reached either, we find that all three of you have disappeared!"

"You make it sound far more ominous and sinister than it is, sire."

"I'm not in the mood for levity, Jana. Either explain, or shut up."

Her spine straightened fractionally as if he'd slapped her. She nodded once. "We had obtained information that the honeymooning couple would be put at risk, sir. The information was time sensitive, the threat imminent. The Prince has proven a natural in locating people who do not wish to be located. His help has proven invaluable."

"Why did you not send word to either Tenel Ka or myself?"

Jana's smile was faint. "Time was of the essence and I did not think you would worry if it became clear the Prince was with us. I see I was mistaken."

Jacen arched his eyebrows at the soft almost-reprimand. "Considering the attempts on our lives by _former_ trainees of the guard or retired guards, you can't very well blame us for being paranoid."

"You're questioning our loyalty, sir." Scruffy's words were clipped, barely concealing her anger.

Jacen pinned her with a look. "I'll question your loyalty if I think the wellbeing of my son is at risk. I'll question your loyalty if I think you have been hiding things from me and I'll question your loyalty if I think you haven't been entirely honest!"

Scruffy snapped her mouth shut and stared straight ahead, the muscles in her jaw bunching and tense.

"You're right, sire." Jana's tone was diplomatic. "We haven't been entirely honest with you. You're right to be suspicious and if we've earned your censure because of our actions, I'm saddened to think what we'll have to do to earn your trust once more."

"You can start at the beginning. What have you been hiding?"

Scruffy refused to look at him, though his gaze encompassed them both. Jana waved for him to sit. "This will be a long story, sire. Shall we get more comfortable?"

Jacen waited until Jana righted two stools before taking a third. Scruffy refused to sit, instead turning her back on Jana and Jacen, and scanning the area around them. Her silent posture indicated her displeasure, but also indicated that while she refused to partake in the discussion, she wouldn't interfere.

Jana settled herself comfortably, ignoring Scruffy's hostile attitude, and waited until Jacen had seated himself. She took a deep breath. "You're aware that we have been investigating the attempts on both your life and the attempts on the Prince's life. What we haven't been forthcoming with is exactly how deep the infiltration has come into our order. At first, we were surprised that a trainee that made it to the last levels of her training, only to wash out, would turn into an assassin for hire. We were wrong; they're not for hire."

"Then what are they?"

"A shadow order. You see, there are several instances over the last years, since the reign of Queen Mother Teneniel Djo, where women have been accepted into training, finished all but the last exercise and washed out without viable cause. We knew they could do the job, they simply failed to do so on their last trials. The numbers, once we began investigating, are in the hundreds."

"Does that include those who washed out at earlier stages?"

"Unfortunately no, but if they too were recruited, we're dealing with an organization that has the training and discipline to attack the Royal Family, and succeed, where few could before. What we haven't been able to find out is where exactly they're based. We've already gone through and weeded out any candidates who were questionable at the start of training. Scruffy and I have been working at individually testing the loyalties of the guards. Those who have passed need to be willing to give up their lives without question. Those who don't pass often do so because they value their own skin over yours."

"And those who have issues with the current state of affairs?"

Jana sighed. "I won't lie to you sire. There are some, even among those who are qualified, who grumble about having a King and not a consort. But make no mistake; they will die as willingly for you as they would for the Queen Mother. Her wishes are our wishes. You and the Prince have nothing to fear from us."

"No, just your washouts." Jacen could feel the tension in his shoulders ebbing. It appeared that he and Tenel Ka had been worried for nothing. They'd simply misinterpreted the events - and who would blame them for that, based on the facts they had available? How had they been so blinded by paranoia? "So why wasn't any message sent to tell us when you arrived so we wouldn't worry?"

Her smile was faint. "We didn't honestly think you would. Tanner has proven she's willing and able to risk her life for the Prince. By her absence, we assumed you would believe he was safe."

"Forgive me for being skeptical, Jana, but you've been here almost a week. You didn't once think to notify us of your whereabouts? Tenel Ka is relying on you heavily now that her pregnancy is so far advanced. You just up and disappeared, without a word or warning, dropping everything squarely back on her shoulders!"

Jana flushed. "This past evening is the first evening we've slept through the night sire. Vola and Flynn were targets of a rogue group, one that was very well equipped and very well trained. Until this morning, we have been on constant alert for further threats."

Jacen felt the tension in his back melt away. "You realize I'll have to confirm this."

Her smile was faint. "The Prince has through it one grand adventure. I'm certain he's telling Tenel Ka an embellished version of events..."

* * *

"...and then Jana dove in from the cliff, like she could fly or something, and tackled the guy who was pointing the rifle at Flynn! It was totally wizard, like something out of a holovid!"

Tenel Ka had encouraged Gidden to tell her about what he'd been doing since his abrupt departure almost seven days prior. He'd been enthusiastic, losing all of his nervousness about what would happen to Tanner and Jana and Scruffy, and grinned widely. His gestures were large, telling the story as much with his words as with his hands.

"And then, when she slammed into him, his shot went wild!" His hands smacked together, his eyes shining. "Tanner wouldn't let me get close, but I saw everything from where she let me hide. It was great! I didn't know Jana was able to tackle somebody like that!"

"I would not have someone inexperienced for a bodyguard, Gidden." Tenel Ka's reproach was mild, but the tension and freight that she'd been through the last few days was ebbing away. Gidden was obviously unharmed and no worse for his adventure. If anything, he'd developed a sense of awe for the everyday people around him.

"I thought she was just the lady who does your Queen stuff."

Tenel Ka chuckled softly. "It is no good to have an obvious bodyguard, my son. Not for one such as I. Jana's greatest strength is in her ability to muddle other's perception of her."

"Is that why you came after me?" He cocked his head at her curiously. "Because you thought she was lying?"

"We did not know where you had gone, Gidden. They failed to inform us as to your whereabouts. We were worried and did not know if you were unharmed."

"But someone said you had to pay to get me back." He looked at her confused. "I don't get it."

"The ransom note has been proven to be false, Gidden."

"I guess. You're not going to be mean to Jana and Scruffy, are you? 'Cause they took really good care of me. Tanner too! They didn't let nothing happen where I wasn't safe!"

"You came willingly?"

He nodded. "Yup! Tanner told Jana about how I could locate her anywhere and Jana asked if I could help her with some big secret. So I said sure. She had Tanner pack and then I was on the boat coming here. We're not in trouble are we?"

Tenel Ka pinned him with a look and he shrank down. "You must never leave without telling us you are going, Gidden. I was very worried about you."

He hugged her as best he could, despite the glare. "I'm sorry Mamma." His eyes opened wide, guilelessly, the way children's do when they're trying to make an adult come down from their anger. "I promise I won't do it again. Just don't be mad at Tanner and Jana and Scruffy. Pleeeeaaaase?"

She ruffled his hair before encircling his shoulder with her arm; she couldn't stay mad at him when he looked so earnest. "As it was not your idea to come, I cannot be mad with _you_. Jana and I will discuss protocol later."

"Can I go play with Tanner now?"

"Can I come too?" Zekk spoke up for the first time, sounding a little like the boy he'd once been.

"Really?"

Gidden's excited comment brought a grin to Zekk's face. "Really. If you're mother doesn't have a problem with it."

Tenel Ka released Gidden and waved them away. "Be careful, Gidden."

"I promise, mamma!" He grabbed Zekk's hand and tugged him towards where Anakin was still standing with Tanner.

Tenel Ka moved back up the beach to where Jacen and Jana were still deep in discussion.


	19. Chapter 19

Jana looked up wearily as Tenel Ka rejoined Jacen, quickly getting to her feet and offering the stool to the Queen Mother.

Tenel Ka accepted the spare one before motioning for Jana to sit again. "I see neither have you have killed the other."

Jacen slipped a hand onto her knee. "Jana's been telling me about their week. Apparently they've foiled five or more plots against Vola and Flynn a day. Only, they don't know about it." He sounded amused, but Tenel Ka could still see the residual tension in his frame. "Apparently they're completely absorbed in each other and are using the island fortress to their advantage."

"They are newlyweds." Tenel Ka's eyes sparkled, amused.

"They're also reckless, your majesty." Jana's tired voice was laden with strain. "Keeping them alive, without them knowing about it, has been a challenge. We've lost some good people to these rogues."

"You have not been successful in tracking them?"

Jana shook her head. "We tracked them to a camp about a quarter ways around the island from where we are now. Yesterday, we destroyed the camp. We took no prisoners, gave no mercy - and we've not seen any sign of organized activity since. We had intended to contact you this morning if things stayed quiet, to let you know we'd be home by the end of next week."

"Gidden has behaved himself?"

"Wonderfully. The prince is quite the diplomat."

"You've been rubbing off on him." Jacen's dry comment was without rancor. "I suppose there are worse things he could be. Still, I think Tenel Ka will agree with me when I say never, ever do this to us again, despite the urgent circumstances. Unless his life is in danger, we should always be aware of his movements."

"I'm sorry we worried you, sire. I swear it won't happen again."

"Then your punishment should fit the crime."

Jana nodded reluctantly. "Yes sire."

"No objections?"

"No, sire." She regarded him calmly. "We made you worry, caused you to doubt our intentions and our abilities. For that, penance must be done."

"Oh." Jacen cast a sidelong look at Tenel Ka. "I was thinking something like latrine duty; but it's not necessary at the Palace."

Tenel Ka examined her captain of the guard and closest aid. She stood. "I will decide your punishment. For now, you will remain in your current positions and guard Jacen, Gidden and myself. No more unscheduled trips."

"As you wish your majesty."

* * *

Gidden pressed another pile of sand to the drawing, frowning and then smashing it flat. "Yeah, that's what it looked like!"

"That's one destroyed village."

He nodded solemnly. "It was. Everyone died too."

"That makes you an orphan, like me."

"Nope." Gidden pointed to where Tenel Ka and Jacen were sitting with Jana. "I found me another mamma and dad."

Zekk smiled faintly. "That doesn't mean you should forget where you came from, though. Our histories make us who we are. Forgetting them would be criminal."

Gidden cocked his head at Zekk. "Why'd you wanna be a Jedi?"

"I didn't always want to be a Jedi, Gidden."

"How come?"

Zekk chuckled. "I didn't know I could use the Force until I was more than twice your age. I used to dream of being the best mechanic ever. Or maybe the guy everyone came too when they had a hard to find request. I could find anything, even the hardest of requests. Wasn't too shabby about fixing them either."

"Oh." Gidden frowned. "Do I hafta be a Jedi?"

"No, no one ever _has_ to be anything. But what else would you do with your powers?"

"I dunno. I'd like to go around and free slaves. Mamma said there are other planets and systems where kids like me are forgotten."

Zekk ruffled Gidden's hair. "An honorable goal, kiddo, but think about it for a second. You're one person. Take your village for example. Would you being older and a trained Jedi have helped change their fate?"

"Maybe."

"Probably." Zekk corrected easily, shaping the mound of sand into a little house-like structure. "But that's because your village was an isolated one. Now, take the number of people who were in your village and think about ten times that many people. Would you still have been able to help them?"

Gidden shook his head. "No way!"

"Now think about that number times one hundred. That's about how many kids you're trying to save."

Gidden's face fell. "That's a lot. How come nobody helps them?"

"They're called the forgotten for a reason, Gidden. We, as Jedi, help those we find, but we can't help them all."

"So was I helped 'cause I can use the Force?"

"Maybe." Zekk chuckled softly. "Maybe not. But if we can save two Force sensitive children who have the same goal you do and each of you can save, let's say, ten other children, you can make a difference."

"That's a big job."

"True." Zekk winked at the boy. "And it's not one you can do without proper training. Now, if you don't want to be a Jedi, we're going to have to chat about when you'll use your powers."

"Huh?"

"We can't very well just let someone like you, who sees things in the future, just use them as you want, Gidden. Your powers of precognition are not only an advantage but a disadvantage; as we've seen with Ben."

"You mean they're not all good?"

"Exactly. Precognition is touchy because, as you've been told, the future is always in motion."

"But, dad and mamma will have triplets."

"From what I've heard, no one was certain you were seeing three babies all from the same pregnancy. You could have easily been envisioning three separate pregnancies in the next three years."

"Oh." Gidden frowned. "But they are having three babies."

"True." Zekk built another small house beside his first one, shaping the sand wall carefully with his dexterous fingers. "Which proves you right in one area. Have you ever had visions that haven't come true?"

"Oh sure." Gidden's smile became goofy. "I dreamed I would have creamed ice for breakfast this morning!"

"Gidden!" Zekk chuckled. "That's not a vision; it's a dream. There is a difference. I mean a vision like the one you had about Ben."

"Oh." Gidden smiled sheepishly, drawing lines in the sand from one of Zekk's houses to another, making a road, before beginning to build his own little houses out of sand. "I dunno. Maybe."

"Then you have had other visions?"

Gidden nodded reluctantly. "Some."

"Anything like the ones where Ben maims Anakin?"

"No!" Gidden's eyes flew wide, going to where Anakin was standing. "No, no. I'm happy I don't dream like that no more."

"Then what have you seen?"

"A school." He seemed to falter. "A Jedi school. I saw some ships too, funny looking ones." He piled some sand, building a bulbous shape. "I saw Jaina die; she was a bug-thing. And you were a bug-thing. But that didn't happen."

"Anything else that didn't happen?"

Gidden blushed. "Mamma had dad's baby, but it was a girl. Allana. But dad couldn't know about her 'cause it was too dangerous. And the bugs kept trying to kill them."

Zekk chuckled softly. "It sounds more like a fairy-tale."

"Maybe." Gidden frowned. "But dad went all crazy 'cause of it and killed everyone except Mamma and Allana. And I wasn't here. I dunno where I was."

"I see." Zekk's eyes twinkled. "I think it's safe to say that's not going to happen, hmm?"

Gidden's smile reappeared and he nodded enthusiastically before crushing the mini-ship he was shaping in the sane. "So Ben could be nice in the future?"

"I would hope so with all of the personal attention you're giving him, Gidden." Zekk widened his hand and brought it down on the sand houses, squashing them flat before brushing the granules from his skin. "Come on, kiddo. I think you've learned your lesson. Let's go see if you mom and dad are ready to go home."

* * *

They arrived home later that evening to the delight of both clans. Tenel Ka went into labor, only to be told the pains were false and she wouldn't be delivering that evening. It was both nerve wracking and relieving. Jacen half-joked he wasn't ready to give up their time alone so it was better she hadn't gone into labor.

Over the course of the next week things went back to normal. Tenel Ka took control of the military branch. Delegating the duty officially to her father with the instructions to track down and eliminate the shadow branch of her guard.

Things came to a head with the senatorial appointments to the Queen Mother's cabinet and the traitors, who had been in isolation since their arrests, were returned to their home planets for sentencing. They had each undergone a brief trial where their guilt had been so plain not a single one had taken more than a day. Tenel Ka had sat in for each one with Jana, still awaiting punishment, nearby. Yet the Queen Mother had refrained from voting in the case of each one and only offered the suggestion of the sentencing venue.

By not voting, she allowed the diplomatic process to come into fruition and let the people decide for themselves as to the validity of the concocted stories. Tenel Ka even permitted the use of the "Gun of Command" on the senator's aids, having it reprogrammed and well as under heavy guard at all times.

In the middle of the mess that was her job, Tenel Ka allowed for a small, intimate funeral for Ta'a Chume. It was short and quiet, the exact opposite kind of send off the old Queen would have wanted. Somehow, Tenel Ka knew her grandmother would understand. It was simply another piece of the puzzle, of the game that was politics. By not making the funeral one of state, for the public, and still having her ashes interred, Tenel Ka could grieve for the woman she'd claimed was no longer her kin, and still honor her for the person she'd been.

Yet, Tenel Ka knew as she watched the emaciated body of her grandmother being consumed by the flames of the funeral pyre that she would have finally approved.

* * *

"You're really big, mamma."

Tenel Ka ignored the small voice that was standing somewhere to her left, her eyes closed as she tried to ignore the ache in her back. It had gotten steadily worse over the last week, to the point where she had actually admitted to Jacen that she was more comfortable lying down than standing.

Jacen had been immediately solicitous, and while a part of her resented not being able to do much for herself - she was back on bed rest orders - she was grateful he was so willing to help. He rubbed her feet, ensured she had enough pillows to ease the strain on her body and teased her gently to keep her spirits up.

It had been almost two weeks since Gidden's adventure beyond the palace to the island that housed the fortress. Two weeks where Jana, Scruffy and Tanner had been under close, but discrete surveillance. Two weeks. Tenel Ka felt a tug on her arm and opened her eyes. "Gidden. I wish to be alone."

"But mamma!" He looked at her wide eyed. "I wanna spend some time with you! I never see you no more."

She mentally chided herself for not taking more time to be with him amidst the hectic pace of the last few weeks. She shifted her weight and rolled so she could sit up, placing a pillow at her lower back to alleviate the discomfort as she leaned against the headboard. "I apologize, Gidden. It has been very busy."

He crawled onto the bed next to her and stretched out, laying his head on top of her belly, his eyes widening. "Your tummy's hard."

"Watch your head, Gidden. You might get kicked. Those three are awful feisty."

They both looked up at the amused comment from the doorway.

Jacen lounged just inside, a holo-cam in his hands as the flash went off. He grinned, shifting the position of the cam a bit. "Smile for this one!"

Gidden's goofy grin offset Tenel Ka's obvious exasperation and Jacen couldn't help but snap a couple of pictures.

"Do you not have more important things to accomplish, Jacen?"

"Nope." He smiled at her. "With your father taking care of the military side of things, Scruffy and Jana taking care of the security side of things and my family and our friends here picking up the slack, I have all day to devote to you."

"Ah."

Gidden grinned. "Dad doesn't want you to worry, mamma. He told me you shouldn't because it's bad for the babies." He patted her tummy with one small hand.

Tenel Ka looked from Gidden to Jacen. "Did he?"

Gidden nodded. "Yup!"

"I don't think your mother is very impressed with me, Gidden." Jacen's tone held amusement.

"Why?"

"Because I am very uncomfortable." Tenel Ka answer Gidden's question before Jacen could. "And it is Jacen's fault."

"How come?"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow at Jacen, indicating it was his turn.

Jacen sat on the edge of the bed, loosely sandwiching Tenel Ka between himself and Gidden. "Because children are a combination of both parents. Without me, she couldn't be carrying your little brother and sisters."

"Oh. How come mamma has to carry them?"

"It's a woman thing." Jacen grinned. "Which means it's my fault she's uncomfortable. Fortunately, it shouldn't be too much longer now."

"Fortunately." Tenel Ka's repetition was dry. She shifted and hissed as pain shot straight through her groin. "This is most awkward."

Jacen reached over to gently brush one of her braids off her cheek, a soft smile on his lips. "But you look beautiful, my love."

Their gazes connected and for a moment she softened, her lips tilting into a slight smile. "Flattery does not work, Jacen."

His finger tips brushed gently over her cheek before he placed his hand on her distended belly. "Is it still flattery if it's the truth?"

"Perhaps." She covered his hand with hers and he responded by dropping a gentle kiss on the back of it.

Another pain came quickly and Jacen froze, his hand on her belly. "Tenel Ka?"

She took in a deep breath, refusing to give into the spasm. "I think it is time to go to the medical ward."

"Time?" Gidden blinked, hopping down from the bed. "I get the doctor?"

"Go, son." Jacen stood, nerves overtaking him as he assisted Tenel Ka off the bed. His stomach was fluttering, almost panicky as he helped her stand.

Her legs took a moment to adjust to her weight. "I can walk, Jacen."

"But..."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "The Doctor will meet us in the medical bay and I am having a baby, not an inva-." She gasped, clutching him as her water broke and water sluiced down her legs. "Perhaps you had best assist me or we will not arrive in time."

Jacen scooped her into his arms, holding her tightly, and called on the Force to lend him speed and strength as he headed for the medical ward.

* * *

"I think you broke something."

"That is not all I wi-" She gasped as another powerful contraction seized her. The hand that was held between Jacen's two squeezed at the same time. She grunted, bearing down even as her hand crushed his.

Jacen didn't complain, looking worriedly towards where the Doctor was seated. Tenel Ka had been in labor for countless hours. The contractions were coming in shorter intervals now, but they had yet to see any result beyond the strength of her grip on his hand and the many colorful names in her vocabulary that was turning the air blue.

"Push, Your Majesty, I can see the head of one."

Tenel Ka gasped for breath, gritting her teeth as she did as ordered. There was a feeling of pain, a brief release, and the sweet sound of a gasp and then a cry.

Jacen's face lit up excitedly even as another contraction seized Tenel Ka, and she was forced to bear down again. He craned his head as the contraction ebbed and she lay back against the bed spent. A nurse appeared at the bed side with the squalling newborn. "A daughter, your majesties."

Tenel Ka smiled a weary smile as the contractions ebbed off a little, giving her the chance to breathe. "Welcome little one."

Jacen reach one hand over and gently touched the infant's face. She stopped crying immediately, turning eyes that were pale blue towards her father, light hair dusting her crown. His heart hitched. "She's beautiful."

The nurse nodded. "Do you have a name, Majesties?"

"Layne." Tenel Ka pulled her hand free of Jacen's and reach up to touch their first daughter. "Her name is Layne."

The nurse allowed Tenel Ka to gently trace her fingers over the baby's head before moving away. "Your pardon, My Queen, but you have two more coming."

Tenel Ka's lips twitched with dark humor. "Indeed." She gasped as if the contraction had been cued, rippling across her abdomen.

Jacen clasped her hand again, ignoring the throb in his own. "One down, sweetheart. You can do this."

"Do not think I will ever carry a child again, Jacen."

"I wouldn't dream of it." He assured her. "Putting you through this kind of pain wasn't what I had in mind when we talked about children."

"When do you-" She let out a hiss, gritting her teeth and unable to speak for a moment until the contraction passed. "When did you ever think?"

He chuckled, though the sound was strained. "It's a habit I acquired while searching for the meaning of the Force."

"Always the philosopher."

"Always stubborn beyond belief." He brushed her bangs away from her face with a gentle hand.

"You still do not understand?"

He chuckled. "No, I don't. Tell me again why you won't do anything for the pain."

"It is un-" She gasped softly at the next contraction, his hand mashed in her grip before releasing as the pain passed. "-natural."

"The Force is unnatural?"

She glanced at him and he could see the pain and exhaustion in her gaze but also determination to be strong to the end. "I would not have the focus for pain suppression, Jacen."

"Then let me help."

"I cannot."

"Why not?"

She gently squeezed his hand. "I need your strength more than I need your abilities in the Force."

He was shocked and humbled by her admission. She rarely admitted to needing anyone. "I love you, Tenel Ka."

Another contraction rippled across her belly, preventing her response, but she gasped it out as the pain passed. "Your love will be platonic from now on."

He patted her hand. "I told you I'd get myself fixed."

"Do not dare!"

"What?"

Her back arched off the bed as a particularly strong contraction had her moving with it to try and ease the pain. The doctor's soft words of encouragement were background noise, barely registering as Jacen poured reassurance towards the fear he could sense from their remaining children, effectively ending their conversation as the contractions once again to pick up speed.

* * *

It was after midnight when Tana, the last of the triplets, finally made her entrance only minutes after her brother. Both of them were smaller than Layne by at least a pound, but no less perfect; all three had light blue eyes and a dusting of blonde hair. The Doctor assured them that most babies didn't keep their hair and eye coloring they were born with and would soon develop the coloring they'd keep with them through life.

Tenel Ka was exhausted by the birth, lying limply against the pillow, sweat having made both the bed and her sheets wet. The nurses were bathing the last of the triplets before introducing them to their parents.

Jacen stood by Tenel Ka's bed as another pair of nurses changed her clothing and bedding and gently bathed her body with cool water. Their hands never parted, though he'd lost the feeling in his fingers a long time ago. Finally, the bed was changed and the nurses withdrew to help with the newborns.

Jacen settled himself on the edge of the bed, and reached up to brusher her hair away from her face again. "How're you feeling?"

"Tired." She managed to find a wan but heartfelt smile. "I trust I did no permanent damage?"

He gently removed his hand from hers and examined it. His fingers were swollen and he had bruises on the back and wrist from where her grip had alternated. He smiled. "Nothing time won't heal. You?"

"I cannot believe..." she trailed off, her gaze going to where the Doctors were patting the newborns dry. "I cannot believe it is over."

Jacen leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. "It's not over, my love, it's only just begun."

"Fact."

The Doctor's voice interrupted them. "Layne, Jarid, Tana, these are your parents."

Jacen straightened as the nurses approached, carrying one each, with the Doctor carrying the last of the triplets. The nurses had propped Tenel Ka up before leaving and now took advantage of it. Layne was placed in her mother's arms, slid gently between the crook of her left arm's stump so Tenel Ka could use her right hand to gently explore the baby's hands and feet.

Jacen was carefully instructed on holding the last of their family, given Jarid, and then Tana before the Doctor and the nurses retired to the next room to give the royal family some time to become acquainted.

Tenel Ka gently ran her fingers over Layne's cheek, marveling at the softness of the baby's skin; the clean scent. She turned her gaze to Jacen, and he was surprised to note tears in her eyes as she took in the last of their children. "Oh Jacen..."

He settled carefully onto the bed so not to disturb the newborns that had fallen into a semi-slumber. "They're beautiful, Tenel Ka. Thank you."

She smiled tumultuously even as her eyes were dropping with exhaustion. "Thank you, Jacen Solo. I swear I will be a good mother to our children."

"The best." His agreement was solemn. He rose to his feet and looked to the doorway, nodding to the Doctor who was watching through the door's small window.

The Doctor entered alone. "I think Tenel Ka could do with some rest. Where...?"

The Doctor waved towards the door and a crib was wheeled into the room. "I trust you will be with her."

"I'm not going anywhere," Jacen assured the Doctor as the Doctor took Tana from Jacen's grasp and laid her in the crib. Jacen mimicked the movement with Jarid, taking the opportunity to place a gentle kiss on each of their foreheads. He finally turned and, with the Doctor's soft instruction as guide, lifted Layne from her mother's grasp and placed her with her siblings. She too received a gentle kiss from her father.

When Jacen looked up again, the Doctor was in the doorway. "The cot is under the bed, Sire. We will see you in the morning."

"Thank you, Doctor."

The Doctor simply smiled and disappeared.

Jacen pulled the cot from under the bed, ignoring the pain in his hand, and set it up next to the crib. The children were sleeping, not yet hungry after their birth, and as he sat on the cot, his gaze was drawn back to them.

He didn't sleep that first night as he watched them peacefully sleeping in the crib next to their mother. Peace filled him; peace and the knowledge that, regardless of what the future would bring, Tenel Ka would be at his side to watch their children grow.


	20. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The following morning Gidden was allowed in to see Tenel Ka and the triplets.

Jacen had spent a few minutes with the boy, letting him know that the four were resting comfortably, but were exhausted, and needed to sleep for the night. Reluctant, Gidden had stayed with Han and Leia, unwilling to leave the infirmary waiting room until he'd gotten to see his new siblings.

Now, he moved eagerly into the room and stopped by Tenel Ka's bed side. Someone had placed a stool on the floor, onto which he stepped, so he could see her. Exhausted, she turned her head towards him and extended her hand. Gidden grasped it. "You okay, mamma?"

"Wonderful."

Gidden grinned, relieved, and leaned forward to place a gently, shy kiss on her cheek. "I'm glad. Grandma Leia said you would be cranky this morning."

She ruffled his curly hair. "I am happy this morning. Your brother and sisters will meet you and our family will begin anew."

Gidden's grin widened to almost take in his ears.

Jacen wrapped his hands around the boy's waist and lifted him onto the bed next to Tenel Ka. Tenel Ka used the controls on the bed to move herself into a sitting position, still tired from the last two days, but exhilarated all the same. Motherhood, knowing that she was now responsible for three more individual lives, brought her happiness and lent her a glow neither Gidden nor Jacen commented on.

But it was there all the same.

"Who would you like to hold this morning, Tenel Ka?"

"Tana." She stretched her arms out to him.

Jacen gently lifted the youngest of the triplets from the crib.

They'd woken them this morning with whimpers and feelings of hunger. Tenel Ka had, one by one, fed the infants while Jacen had taken the opportunity to spend some time with each of their new children.

Now, Tana was placed in her mother's arms, and Tenel Ka's face blossomed into a soft smile for her youngest.

Gidden stretched his arms out. "Can I hold one?"

Jacen gently lifted Jarid from the crib, unable and unwilling to withhold the smile of pride that came with holding his son. His son; flesh of his flesh, the heir to the Solo name. "Hold your arms like your mother, Gidden."

Gidden did as instructed and Jarid was placed into his careful, eager grasp.

Jacen lifted Layne from the crib last and laid her against his shoulder, carefully holding her head. Gidden checked out his little brother from feet to toes, to eyes, staring into one another's eyes almost comically.

Jacen chuckled softly. "He's human alright, Gidden."

Gidden looked at Layne as Jacen joined them by the bed, and then over to Tana. An odd look appeared on his face and then he beamed. "This is how I remember it in my dream!"

Tenel Ka's rarely heard chuckled came first, followed by Jacen's and then Gidden's giggle. They shared in the tension release that came from the incredulous, amazed statement, and the newborns watched, enchanted, as the laughter swirled around them.

* * *

The grandparents, aunts, uncles, surrogate uncles and surrogate aunts were all introduced to the twins over the next several hours and, finally, when everyone had left them alone for the night, the Doctor appeared to do an examination of Tenel Ka and the triplets.

Jacen stood by, Gidden at his side, as the Doctor finally stood, a smile on his face. "Everyone is healthy and doing fine. The triplets appear to take after their mother's constitution. I'd still like to see them every couple of days for the first few months, but I can make the house call. You'll be free to go home in the morning."

Tenel Ka thanked the Doctor for his help and his time, assuring him he was more than welcome in the Royal suite before his departure. Jacen and Gidden waited until she'd settled herself comfortably again before Gidden spoke. "Mamma, Grandpa Isolder, Grandpa Han and Grandma Leia wanted me to help get the crib ready for Layne, Jarid and Tana tonight. Is it okay if I go help?"

"You may."

He rushed over to hug her and then darted out of the room.

Jacen settled himself at Tenel Ka's bed side. "I told him you wouldn't object, but he seems to think you have to say the words or he could be letting you down."

Her lips twitched, her gray eyes sparkling. "He is learning the role of Chume Da already."

Jacen blinked and then chuckled. "I see you've regained your sense of humor, my love."

She reached up to cup his face. "Thank you, Jacen. Thank you for our children, all of them. For staying with me when I needed you most."

"For the pain and the suffering?" His tone was serious, but there was mirth in his eyes.

Her lips twitched. "Thank you for being more stubborn than I am and convincing me to marry you. I love you."

"Thank you for saying yes." He leaned down and let his lips trail over hers in a languid, almost reverent fashion. And while they were under doctors orders to go no further, Tenel Ka reveled in the magic of Jacen's kisses.

Everything else would follow.

Fin


End file.
